Russia: Putin’s Presidential Election Started From Far East · Global Voices

Russian Far East residents began voting in her presidential election expected to give Vladimir Putin a new term without opposition, when Ukraine, facing the Russian attack for two years, has been increasing its attacks from the other side of the country. The polling stations opened at 8.00 (local Friday time) (22.00 Greek time Thursday) on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Chukotka, Russia, two remote areas located at the eastern end of Russia, and will close Sunday at 20.00 in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave bordering EU member country territory. Due to the time difference, residents of the Far East begin to vote at the time when residents of the western part of this country with 11 time zones are preparing to go to bed. The vote will take place within three days, and in the territories occupied by Russia in Ukraine and Transnistria, pro-Russian territory segregated from Moldova. Just before the vote began, Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for the past 24 years, has called on his fellow countrymen not to “be deviated from the road” and vote “patriotically” these “hard” times. The outgoing head of state will face three minor candidates who do not oppose either the attack on Ukraine or the repression that eliminated all opposition and culminated in death in prison in mid-February of the Kremlin’s main war, Alexei Navalni. The only political opponent who attempted to run, Boris Nadezdin, was eliminated from the election as his candidacy was rejected.