http://www.kasparov.ru/material.php?id=5B2B949611F05
http://www.kasparov.ru/material.php?id=5B2BBBD47F5BD
Aside from being a sporting event of global significance, this is a major P.R. victory for President Putin and his entourage.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/opinion/world-cup-russia-torture-putin.html
The World Cup is the perfect stage for Russia to show it respects human rights.
https://focus.ua/opinions/400258/
https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2018/06/18_a_11806039.shtml
http://www.rosbalt.ru/world/2018/06/20/1711639.html
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3662814
https://lenta.ru/news/2018/06/20/buba/
https://www.inopressa.ru/article/20Jun2018/zeit/chechen_football.html