Protests Erupt during Russian Presidential Election as Voters Try to Disrupt Ballot Boxes

During the first day of the three-day Russian presidential election, unrest gripped various regions as citizens protested against the expected victory of President Putin.

Acts of disruptions included pouring dye into ballot boxes, homemade explosive attempts, and arson incidents reported in Moscow outskirts, Urals, and Putin’s hometown, St. Petersburg.

Authorities reacted swiftly to arrest protesters, including two women who were caught pouring green dye into the ballots. They were said to face possible imprisonment.

Protests intensified following the recent death of prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who died in custody under suspicious circumstances.

Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova branded the protesters as ‘scum’ and vowed to punish such acts severely.

Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Navalny, mobilized supporters for a protest titled ‘noon without Putin,’ aiming to disrupt polling stations as a form of anti-war demonstration.

Protests were also observed in Chechnya, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, with military wives and Ukrainian citizens expressing dissent.

Among the presidential candidates, Vladislav Davankov stood out by supporting a peace deal with Ukraine while advocating for Russia‘s territorial integrity amidst the ongoing conflict.