A new head of state will be elected in Russia in March. In all likelihood it will be called Vladimir Putin again. Because there are no serious opponents. Putin’s most dangerous opponent, Alexei Navalny, has been in prison for years. But his team is not giving up and has caused a stir with a smart campaign.
Billboards in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities said “Happy New Year” on Thursday. One day before Putin announced his official candidacy. But it wasn’t just New Year’s greetings that Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation wanted to convey when it rented the posters. Anyone who took a photo of the QR code on the advertising space was redirected to a website with the motto ‘Russia without Putin’.
Dissatisfied people should vote for any candidate
On neputin.org people are called on to vote Putin out. Disaffected people should vote for any candidate in the March 17 presidential election – no matter who, as long as they do not vote for the current ruler. The website also called for sharing crucial information with friends.
Activists say Putin will use the election to boost support for his war against Ukraine. Voters must therefore vote against the president and therefore against war. The elections “will be manipulated,” Navalny’s team said. But everyone must understand that Russia “no longer needs” Putin.
Putin, who has been in power since late 1999, is looking forward to a fifth term as president. His victory is considered certain because there are no promising, truly oppositional candidates and because the result – as in previous elections – is considered manipulated. If the 71-year-old survives another six-year term, he will be in power longer than Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
QR codes on posters are now banned in Moscow
In Moscow, the posters were removed by the city authorities shortly after the action became known, as the independent media “Sota” reported (see report below). Therefore, the city government promptly banned the display of QR codes. The advertising law could be violated through manipulated codes, according to a letter. According to Navalny’s team, the website is also blocked in Russia, but can still be accessed via a VPN.
Concerns about Navalny’s condition
Meanwhile, Alexei Navalny’s colleagues were concerned about the health of the opposition politician, who has been jailed for almost three years. Last week he had an attack of weakness and was subsequently given an IV, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh wrote on X on Friday.
“I don’t know where he is”
She explained that he probably fainted from hunger in his punishment cell because he was given no food, the cell was not ventilated and he was barely allowed to walk in the yard. After the incident, his lawyers saw him, “but now it’s the third day we don’t know where he is,” Yarmysh wrote. His legal representatives were denied entry to the penal colony and Navalny failed to appear at a hearing. Moreover, there have been no letters from him all week.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
