▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁though ▁the ▁Russian ▁economy ▁reb ounded ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁with ▁ 0 . 3 % ▁G DP ▁growth , ▁and ▁the ▁re cess ion ▁officially ▁ended . ▁Put in ▁gained ▁ 7 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁election ▁vote ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁for ▁a ▁six - year ▁term ▁that ▁will ▁end ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 4 . ▁ ▁Under ▁Put in ' s ▁leadership , ▁Russia ▁has ▁experienced ▁dem ocr atic ▁back sl iding . ▁Exper ts ▁do ▁not ▁generally ▁consider ▁Russia ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁dem ocracy , ▁cit ing ▁p urg es ▁and ▁j ail ing ▁of ▁political ▁oppon ents , ▁cur ta iled ▁press ▁freedom , ▁and ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁free ▁and ▁fair ▁elections . ▁Russia ▁has ▁scored ▁poor ly ▁on ▁Trans par ency ▁International ' s ▁Cor ruption ▁Per ception s ▁Index , ▁the ▁Econom ist ▁Int elligence ▁Unit ' s ▁Dem ocracy ▁Index ▁and ▁Fre edom ▁House ' s ▁Fre edom ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁index ▁( including ▁a ▁record ▁low ▁ 2 0 / 1 0 0 ▁rating ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Fre edom ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁report , ▁a ▁rating ▁not ▁given ▁since ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ). ▁Human ▁rights ▁organizations ▁and ▁activ ists ▁have ▁accused ▁Put in ▁of ▁per sec uting ▁political ▁critics ▁and ▁activ ists ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ordering ▁them ▁tort ured ▁or ▁assass in ated ; ▁he ▁has ▁rejected ▁accus ations