A three-day election for the Russian State Duma concludes today. These elections mark the first parliamentary vote held since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is widely expected to secure a majority in the 450-seat Duma, as the ballot consists exclusively of candidates who support the president and the ongoing war. In August, the Russian Supreme Court prohibited the anti-war Yabloko party from participating in the election.
Opposition figures living in exile, including Ilya Yashin and Yulia Navalnaya, have encouraged citizens to gather at polling stations at noon today. The objective of this initiative is to create long queues, serving as a form of protest that authorities cannot easily disperse.
Article source: www.ilkkapohjalainen.fi | Image credit: www.ilkkapohjalainen.fi