Russians Defy Putins Crackdown, Turn Out To Protest In Presidential Election
Russians turned out to vote on the final day of the presidential election on Sunday, with many heeding an opposition call to protest against President Vladimir Putin.
Despite the lack of real alternatives, Putin is poised to extend his nearly 25-year rule for another six years.
Controlled Environment, Limited Monitoring
The election took place in a tightly controlled environment, where Putin faced only token rivals and any public criticism of him or the war in Ukraine was suppressed. Independent monitoring of the election was severely limited, and Putin’s fiercest political opponent, Alexei Navalny, died in prison last month.
Protest by Coming to Polls
Navalny’s associates urged unhappy voters to protest by coming to the polls at noon on Sunday, and lines outside polling stations both in Russia and at its embassies around the world swelled at that time. Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, joined a long line at the Russian Embassy in Berlin, where she spent over five hours and wrote her late husband’s name on the ballot.
Mixed Sentiments Among Voters
Some Russians expressed their intention to protest through their votes, while others were happy to support Putin. While voting in Moscow, a first-time voter named Yulia stated that she wanted a clear conscience for the future she desired for her country. Another voter, Vadim, expressed hope for change but acknowledged its unlikelihood.
Spoiled Ballots and Vandalism
Independent Russian media shared images of spoiled ballots with messages such as “killer and thief” and “waiting for you in The Hague,” referring to an arrest warrant for Putin related to war crimes charges. Despite tight controls, several cases of vandalism at polling stations were reported, leading to arrests and calls for tougher punishments.
Pressure on Voters and Armed Presence
Stanislav Andreychuk, co-chair of the Golos independent election watchdog, highlighted unprecedented pressure on voters from law enforcement, including searches, ballot checks, and demands to open ballot boxes. A video also emerged showing an armed man harassing voters in camouflage gear.
Lines at Russian Diplomatic Missions
Huge lines formed around noon outside Russian diplomatic missions in various cities with large Russian communities, including London, Berlin, Paris, Milan, and Belgrade. Protesters in Berlin displayed a figure of Putin bathing in blood with the Ukrainian flag and shredded ballots.
Russian State Media’s Perspective
Russian state television and officials portrayed the lines abroad as a sign of strong turnout. The Russian Embassy in Germany posted a video of the queue in Berlin with the caption, “together we are strong – Vote for Russia!”
Arrests and Anti-War Sentiment
The OVD-Info group reported 80 arrests in 20 cities across Russia on Sunday. Boris Nadezhdin, a liberal politician barred from running, expressed hope that many Russians would vote against Putin or in other ways to show their true attitude towards the current situation.
