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Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to tighten his grip on energy in an election that’s sure to ship him a landslide victory, although 1000’s of opponents have staged a symbolic midday protest at polling stations.
Supporters of Putin’s fiercest political foe Alexey Navalny, who died in an Arctic jail final month, had known as on Russians to come back out for a “Midday in opposition to Putin” protest to indicate their dissent in opposition to a pacesetter they solid as a corrupt autocrat.
Navalny’s associates, together with his widow Yulia Navalnaya, have urged these sad with Putin, 71, or the continued warfare with Ukraine to protest by coming to the polls at midday on Sunday, a method endorsed by Navalny shortly earlier than his dying.
Workforce Navalny described it as successful, releasing photos and movies of individuals crowding close to polling stations in cities throughout Russia round midday.
At a polling station in southwest Moscow, Leonid, an 18-year-old scholar, stated there have been “not that many individuals” participating within the protest however he was “simply joyful that some individuals got here”.
The polling station was in a college the place Navalny scored his highest outcome – 70 p.c – in his failed bid to grow to be Moscow mayor in 2013. He later tried to run in opposition to Putin within the 2018 presidential election however his candidacy was rejected.
After casting his poll at a polling station the place Navalny used to vote, IT employee Alexander stated he got here as a result of this was one of many few methods he might protest.
“If I hadn’t finished this, I’d have felt like a coward,” the 29-year-old stated.
Elena, 52, stated individuals had been “too afraid” to come back out in massive numbers. “I don’t need Russia, my homeland, to be like this … I like my nation; I need it to be free.”
Putin, who rose to energy in 1999, is about to win a brand new six-year time period that might allow him to overhaul Josef Stalin and grow to be Russia’s longest-serving chief for greater than 200 years.
Whereas Putin’s re-election will not be unsure given his management over Russia and the absence of any actual challengers, the previous KGB spy needs to indicate that he has the overwhelming assist of Russians.
A number of hours earlier than polls had been because of shut at 18:00 GMT, the nationwide turnout surpassed 2018 ranges of 67.5 p.c.
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