evidence: And the past two years of brutal war have twisted and distorted Russia internally too. [...] And now Putin’s most vocal critic – Alexey Navalny – is dead. Amid a broader crackdown on dissent, this country has plunged further into isolation and darkness. [...] Privately, many Russians remain quietly hopeful that there will, one day, be a change in course. But few believe it is likely to be now or even soon.