ABSTRACT On May 13, 2020, V. Putin signed amendments to the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation", which allowed voting in elections at all levels by postal voting. The primary aim of the study is to assess the opinions of experts on postal voting in the Russian Federation. To meet the aim of the study, the research method is a content analysis of the opinions of experts published in the official mass media. Based on the results acquired, the author of the article comes to the conclusion that a number of expert opinions can be attributed to the debatable aspects of the use of postal voting, postal voting in a pandemic has its advantages, this method will allow the voter to take part in elections in any circumstances, however, postal voting requires some of its modifications from the state. Postal voting can increase voter turnout.

RESUMEN El 13 de mayo de 2020, V. Putin firmó enmiendas a la Ley Federal "Sobre Garantías Básicas de los Derechos Electorales y el derecho a participar en un Referéndum de los ciudadanos de la Federación de Rusia", que permitía votar en las elecciones a todos los niveles mediante voto por correo. El objetivo principal del estudio es evaluar las opiniones de los expertos sobre el voto por correo en la Federación de Rusia. Para cumplir con el objetivo del estudio, el método de investigación es un análisis de contenido de las opiniones de expertos publicadas en los medios de comunicación oficiales. Sobre la base de los resultados adquiridos, el autor del artículo llega a la conclusión de que una serie de opiniones de expertos pueden atribuirse a los aspectos discutibles del uso del voto por correo, el voto por correo en una pandemia tiene sus ventajas, este método permitirá al votante. participar en las elecciones en cualquier circunstancia, sin embargo, el voto por correo requiere algunas de sus modificaciones por parte del Estado. El voto por correo puede aumentar la participación de votantes.

ABSTRACT The article examines the presence in the Russian electoral law of an electoral qualification for voting for people with mental problems. The features of modern legislation are investigated and the differentiation of the degree of legal capacity of voters with mental illness is analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the evolution of the main provisions of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation within the framework of this issue, and the case of I.B. Delovaya, showing the imperfection of suffrage in relation to people with mental problems. The importance of the existence of an intermediate state for voters with mental disorders, who are able to independently make decisions and direct their actions, is revealed. As a result of considering the problems faced by voters with mental health problems in Russia, it is noted that the electoral qualification for voting for voters with mental health problems is based only on the determination of legal capacity through forensic examination.

RESUMEN El artículo examina la presencia en la ley electoral rusa de una calificación electoral para votar para personas con problemas mentales. Se investigan las características de la legislación moderna y se analiza la diferenciación del grado de capacidad jurídica de los votantes con enfermedades mentales. Se presta especial atención a la evolución de las principales disposiciones del Código Civil de la Federación de Rusia en el marco de esta cuestión, y al caso de I.B. Delovaya, mostrando la imperfección del sufragio en relación a personas con problemas mentales. Se revela la importancia de la existencia de un estado intermedio para los votantes con trastornos mentales, que son capaces de tomar decisiones de forma independiente y dirigir sus acciones. Como resultado de considerar los problemas que enfrentan los votantes con problemas de salud mental en Rusia, se observa que la calificación electoral para votar para los votantes con problemas de salud mental se basa únicamente en la determinación de la capacidad legal a través de un examen forense.

Resumo O artigo apresenta a atual reforma constitucional na Rússia com foco na emenda que diz respeito à jurisprudência internacional. O emendado artigo 79 restringe a aplicabilidade das resoluções de instituições internacionais para a Rússia. Está de acordo com a abordagem positivista do direito internacional formada recentemente na Rússia. Os documentos estratégicos sobre a cooperação no BRICS são examinados mostrando que a abordagem positivista está em linha com as estratégias da Rússia anunciadas anteriormente. Com base nos métodos científicos gerais e no método de previsão acadêmica, os autores chegaram às seguintes conclusões. A reforma constitucional em matéria de direito internacional não afeta diretamente os documentos do BRICS e não vai contra os princípios de cooperação do BRICS anunciados pela Rússia. No entanto, existem certas implicações indiretas. É claro que a reforma aprofunda divergências entre os países do BRICS. As diferenças nas abordagens dos direitos humanos e certas diferenças ideológicas se tornarão mais agudas dentro dos BRICS, de modo que há um espaço para o uso político dessas diferenças.

Abstract The paper presents the current constitutional reform in Russia focusing on the constitutional amendment concerning the international case law. The amended article 79 of the Constitution of Russian Federation restricts the international case law applicability in Russia. There was no polemic around the draft of the constitutional amendment and this restriction was accepted by experts, politicians and public without any discussion. To certain extent this unanimous acceptance could be explained by general positivistic trend in Russia. The amendment is in line with the positivistic approach to the international law formed in Russia recently. The strategic documents on the cooperation within BRICS are scrutinized showing that the positivistic approach is in line with the strategies of Russia announced previously. Based on the general scientific methods and on the method of academic foresight the authors made the following conclusions. The constitutional reform regarding international law does not affect the BRICS documents directly and it does not go against the principles of BRICS cooperation announced by Russia. However, there are certain indirect implications. It is clear that the reform deepens divergences between the BRICS countries. The differences in the approaches to the human rights, certain ideological differences will become more acute within BRICS and there is a space for political use of these differences.