I think Putin needs a straw man right now so that he can use as a punching bag for the elections.
And what better one then the opposition you have locked away in your basement.
I don't think this will save Putin's reputation, but I understand the strategy.
In his way of saying "Who will you vote for? This man that faints in my dungeons?! Or me, the one who will send you all to die at the Ukrainian front for questioning me?"
I don't think the people of Russia will give an honest answer. But I think that is the point. Because mathematicians are standing by just waiting to analyze last years approval ratings with this years.
Because even if you can rig an election, how much you can rig an election is very different.
I imagine those numbers are going to tell a story of Putin's disapproval across Russia.