Moscow, Russia (AP) —
Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to extend his nearly quarter-century-long reign for another six years on Sunday following the end of a general election that gave the people no real alternative to an autocrat who ruthlessly cracks down on dissent.
Residents in a number of cities took to the streets to show their disappointment, including the wife of the late dissident Alexey Navalny.
The election, which lasted for three days since last Friday (16/3), took place in a tightly controlled situation and did not allow for public criticism of Putin or the war he was waging in Ukraine. Putin's fiercest political foe, Alexey Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month, while other critics are jailed or in exile.
Navalny's friends have urged those unhappy with Putin or the war in Ukraine to protest by going to the polls on Sunday afternoon, a strategy supported by Navalny shortly before his death. Navalny's team described the strategy as a success, releasing images and videos of people crowding near polling stations in various Russian cities on Sunday afternoon.
Putin Repeatedly Praises Attack on Ukraine
The 71-year-old Russian leader faces three rivals from Kremlin-backed parties, who have refrained from criticizing his 24-year rule or his full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. In the run-up to the election Putin has boasted of Russia's successes on the battlefield, but Ukraine's massive drone strikes across Russia on Sunday morning were a reminder of the challenges Moscow faces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down 35 Ukrainian drones overnight, including four near the Russian capital. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there were no casualties or damage.
Russia's wartime economy has proven resilient and continues to thrive despite sanctions from the West. Russia's defense industry has served as a major growth engine, working around the clock to produce missiles, tanks and ammunition.
More than 60% of voters have come to the polling station
Voting took place at polling stations in 11 time zones across this vast country, in Ukraine's illegally annexed territories, and also online. As of early Sunday morning, more than 60 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots.
The Associated Press quoted Dmitry Sergienko, who cast his vote in Moscow and said he was voting for Putin. “I am happy with everything that is happening and want everything to continue as it is now,” he said. Olga Dymova said the same thing, who said, “I am sure that our country will continue to progress towards success.”
Another voter in Moscow, who identified himself only by his first name, Vadim, said he hoped for change, but hastened to add that “unfortunately, it is unlikely to happen.”
Demonstrations Color the Russian Presidential Election
Navalny's associates broadcast video footage containing comments from those who came to polling stations during the day to protest against Putin, with their faces blurred to protect their identities. “This action has achieved its goal,” the head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, Ivan Zhdanov, said in a YouTube broadcast. “This action has shown that there is another Russia, there are people who are against Putin.”
It was not possible to confirm whether the voters seen queuing at the polling stations – who were in the videos and photos released by Navalny's friends – were. Only a few Russian media outlets reported on the protests, or the number of people who came to the polling stations.
Demonstrations also took place in several cities in Russia, even outside the Red Bear country. The wife of the late Alexey Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, attended the demonstration outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin, Germany.
Medvedev Calls for Severe Punishment for Election Disruptors
Even though the election was held with very tight controls, there were reports of dozens of cases of vandalism at Russian polling stations. A woman was arrested in St. Petersburg after he threw a fire bomb at the entrance to a polling station, and several other people were detained across the country for throwing green antiseptic or ink into ballot boxes.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council chaired by Putin, called for toughening penalties for those who tampered with polling stations, arguing they should face treason charges for trying to thwart the vote amid fighting in Ukraine.
Several Russian media outlets also posted images of damaged ballots cast by voters.
Ahead of the election, Putin called the war in Ukraine, now in its third year, a life-and-death battle against the West which wants to divide Russia.
Russian forces made slow progress relying on their superiority in weapons, while Ukraine countered the invasion by intensifying cross-border attacks and launching drone strikes deep inside Russian territory.
The governor of Belgorod reported that an attack by Ukrainian forces on the town near the border on Sunday killed a 16-year-old girl and wounded her father. There were also reports of two deaths due to Ukrainian attacks the previous day.
Putin described the attacks as an attempt by Ukraine to scare citizens and derail Russia's presidential election, and said they “will not go unpunished.”
Western Countries Scorn Russian Elections
Western leaders have derided Russia's elections as a mockery of democracy. This is due to the lack of alternative options for voters, very limited independent monitoring and almost no significant international observers present. Only registered candidates who have been approved by the Kremlin, or supported by state/provincial advisory bodies can assign observers to polling stations, thereby reducing the number of independent observers. (em/ns)