Russia held its regional elections on Sept. 10 for 17 governor positions and for a list of municipal legislative seats. The elections were an important indicator of support for the Kremlin, after mass protests against the Russian government broke out in June . With a stagnant economy , atrophying political apparatus and generational changes , Moscow has been losing grip of its political hold. Heading into the elections, the Kremlin faced serious challenges in many of the races — particularly a handful of gubernatorial elections — from organized opposition groups and politicians. The Kremlin focused heavily on these races, blocking challengers with bribery, by intimidation and with the use of the controversial "municipal filter" mechanism, which requires a candidate to secure five to 10 percent of local lawmakers' signatures before they can run.