With the stroke of a pen, Russian President Vladimir Putin formally enacted a series of anti-LGBTQ+ amendments banning marriage equality and transgender adoptions, and centering “a belief in God” as a core value of the country. The homophobic and transphobic amendments were passed last July in a national referendum, with over 77 percent of voters casting their ballots in support of the measures. According to a report in the AP, the new rules also reset Putin’s term limits as president, meaning he can serve an additional two six-year terms in office.
Vote counts are regularly massaged, the state media is non-stop propaganda, the state runs controlled opposition and spoiler candidates, and if they ever accidentally lose a race through arrogance, it's quickly corrected.
That sounds exactly like what the west calls free elections.