Controversial presidential elections have begun in Russia to ensure Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin will remain in power, excluding the opposition. In the largest country in the world by area, polling stations opened on Friday (local time) first in the Far East, for example in the Far East of Kamchatka. The elections, which are intended to keep Putin (71) in power for another six years, are overshadowed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and massive accusations of manipulation.
Voting in the vast empire with its eleven time zones will last until Sunday evening, when the last polling stations in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea close at 7 p.m. The first forecasts are expected immediately afterwards.
Putin is seeking a fifth term in office
Russian pollsters have already predicted more than 80 percent of the vote for Putin, who has been in power for almost a quarter of a century and is seeking a fifth term. That would be the highest result ever for him. Putin’s three competitors are not only seen as hopeless. They also all follow the Kremlin line and sometimes directly support the sitting president. Candidates who spoke out against Putin’s war of aggression were not even accepted as candidates.
Opposition: “election farce”
The opposition speaks of an ‘election farce’ that has nothing to do with a vote according to democratic rules. Election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have not been invited this time.
Also elections in the occupied territories in Ukraine
The Kremlin also organized illegal sham votes in occupied areas of Ukraine for three days. Ukraine protested against the votes, which violated international law, and called on the international community not to recognize the results. According to Russian figures, 4.5 million people are being called to vote in the occupied parts of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson. Voting will also take place in Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
Russia estimates the number of eligible voters living in other countries at around two million. According to the electoral commission, approximately 114 million people have been called to vote. In 2020, Putin had the constitution amended specifically to allow him to run for office again.
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.
