Russians head to polls in election set to extend Putin's rule

Putin has the popularity in his own country that Biden, Sunak, Macron and almost all western anti Russian leaders can only dream of.

Voters headed to the polls in Russia on Friday for a three-day presidential election that is all but certain to extend President Vladimir Putin’s rule by six more years after he stifled dissent.

The election takes place against the backdrop of a ruthless crackdown that has crippled independent media and prominent rights groups and given Putin full control of the political system.

Both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, tyrants, despots for life.

It is depressing that Russian friends and colleagues view Britain as home, when Russia offers so much history, art, literature, a vast European achieve diverse learning.

There is a reason why Russia is so big.

Yep. They keep expanding and stealing land from other nations. Good reason to stop them.

The real problem is they are voting for the wrong person - that's what the collective west can't stand.

Early voting has been underway in the reunited territories for over a week. Fortunately, there have been no terrorist attacks on polling stations by the usual suspects. It also facilitated soldiers on the front lines to be lodge a ballot while on some local R&R.

More than 156 thousand public observers will monitor the elections, including foreign ones - from 106 countries.

The number of voters is 112.3 million people in Russia and 1.9 million abroad with over 94 thousand polling stations.

The first polling booth in Kamchatka opened hours ago with a buzz of excitement in the air amongst young and old. There was a public singing of the national anthem.

The current presidential elections are the eighth in the history of the Russian Federation.

Putin made an address and called on the country's citizens to come to the polling stations and exercise their voting rights, and noted the particular importance of voting in the difficult period through which the country is going through. He noted Russians - and only Russians - will decide the future of their country.

One of the worst press freedom records in the world. No democracy to be found in Russia.

JJE

The real problem is they are voting for the wrong person - that's what the collective west can't stand.

Not at all. There is only one person they can vote for, every other viable candidate has either been murdered or imprisoned.

If you want to call that democracy go ahead, but we all know it is a sham.

Look at the second photo at bottom - Putin met locals in Stavropol and got mobbed by a very enthusiastic crowd, young and old. Handshakes aplenty and several people were asking for hugs to which he obliged.

Scenes like this have been a familiar sight over the last few months (and anytime he goes in public to be frank).

Congrats on your victory?

Why doesn’t this guy just fall out of a window already

There is a reason why Russia is so big.

And that reason is that they conquered and colonized all their neighbors until they got to the Pacific Ocean. They are expansionist by nature, which is why Russia’s neighbors are wary of Russia. YW.

Navalny had no credible history in country wide electoral politics - that's what the western media aren't telling you about their appointed "opposition leader". His high-water mark in politics was a distant runner-up for mayor of Moscow over a decade ago - fact.

JJE - do you agree with Medvedev that Ukraine is Russia?

After murdering Navalny, Putin is set to win Russia's presidential election in the exact same manner as Saddam Hussein would have done.

It's a very small world when it comes to dictators.

You Russians are acting as if dictators are a new thing and haven’t been studied to death.

Putin eliminated or prevented the opposition from standing in the elections. A one-sided race always wins. Putin using a double to visit regions.

In contrast, candidate Kharitonov represents the Communist Party - that came in second last time. Liberal Democratic Party will also have a strong showing under candidate Slutsky - some say stronger. The New People Party under candidate Davankov which opposes many of Putin's policy (including on Ukraine).

Let the people decide from many choices. Exciting stuff. Democracy in action.

JJE

Look at the second photo at bottom - Putin met locals in Stavropol and got mobbed by a very enthusiastic crowd, young and old. Handshakes aplenty and several people were asking for hugs to which he obliged.

You control the press, you control the narrative.

Let the people decide from many choices. Exciting stuff. Democracy in action.

If Putin miraculously loses, do you think he will step down?

Whether it be against Napolean or Hitler, the Russian army was always slow to start but quick to finish.

There is a reason why Russia is so big.

Yes. He has a lot of cannon fodder at his disposal. And he does care about the disposal bit.

“No democracy to be found in Russia.”

Or anywhere else, to be honest.

BertieWoosterToday  08:15 am JST

“No democracy to be found in Russia.”

Or anywhere else, to be honest.

Yes no democracy exists in the world. Just consider the nonsense of that statement.

And he DOESN'T care about the disposal bit.

ThubanToday  07:23 am JST

Whether it be against Napolean or Hitler, the Russian army was always slow to start but quick to finish.

They didn't finish so well in the Crimean War, WW1, or Afghanistan.

There is a reason why Russia is so big.

You're not fighting vacant land now.

JJE

Navalny had no credible history in country wide electoral politics - that's what the western media aren't telling you about their appointed "opposition leader". His high-water mark in politics was a distant runner-up for mayor of Moscow over a decade ago - fact.

And what stopped him going further? He ran for the 2018 presidential election but he was constantly harassed and intimidated and eventually barred from running by the Russian Supreme Court's.

After that his associates were thrown in jail and he was poisoned and almost killed and then being thrown in prison.

JJEToday  07:40 am JST

More than 156 thousand public observers will monitor the elections, including foreign ones - from 106 countries.

Pfft. You got representatives from both China and India? Also you can kill all of the opposition and hold a "fair" election.

The elephant in the room and it's a big one, which many quarters have trouble processing, because it runs counter to the narrative the western media spoon feed, is this:

Domestically Putin is extremely... (wait for it) popular.

The ongoing operation in Ukraine has drawn the country together. Russians unite when confronted by an adversary and a collective enemy that threatens the nation. It's in the national DNA.

JJEToday  07:40 am JST

The current presidential elections are the eighth in the history of the Russian Federation.

Going to have to reset that number and the country when Putin finally kicks the bucket.

JJEToday  08:21 am JST

The ongoing operation in Ukraine has drawn the country together. Russians unite when confronted by an adversary and a collective enemy that threatens the nation. It's in the national DNA.

Even Russians zombified by TV know in their hearts that Russia started this war.

Why waste all the Rubles when the outcome is known before a single vote is cast?

Russia will vote for one more term for Mister Putin in power..

Get used to it..

The ongoing operation in Ukraine has drawn the country together. Russians unite when confronted by an adversary and a collective enemy that threatens the nation.

Interesting. So war is good for a nation’s economy and morale?

Do you agree with Medvedev that Ukraine is Russia?

Putin has the popularity in his own country that Biden, Sunak, Macron and almost all western anti Russian leaders can only dream of.

Sure, most powerful man on earth..

You control the press, you control the narrative.

Apply that same logic to the US & EU!

The Russian Central Election Commission in Moscow has a live feed of cameras on each and every polling station on their website amongst a plethora of other sources, information and live updates.

This is probably the most transparent election in human history. No hanging chads.

You really can't call it an election where any political opponent accidently falls out an 8th story window or is pushed over a bridge, or suddenly falls ill with polonium or Novichok poisoning, or who is locked up in a cell near the Artic and mysteriously dies...

The poor Russian people once again are forced to endure a petty dictator and tyrant, no different than all those that came before him...

as stalin famously said, he’s fine with free elections… as long as he can count the votes.

Putin has the popularity in his own country that Biden, Sunak, Macron and almost all western anti Russian leaders can only dream of.

If ‘popularity’ is your criteria then surely you’d have no problem with Obama coming back for a third or fourth term. He was very popular. If you don’t like it you’d also surely be ok with a nice gulag ‘holiday’.

Putin eliminated or prevented the opposition from standing in the elections. A one-sided race always wins. Putin using a double to visit regions.

In three sentences the reality that "Free Europe" must accept and challenge without any hesitation.

It is as simple as that.

I cannot imagine displaying sycophancy, and no reservations, about any electoral candidate. It would feel humiliating. I couldn't even be bought.

Hervé L'Eisa

You control the press, you control the narrative.

Apply that same logic to the US & EU!

The US and EU have free press (except for Hungary).

BertieWooster

“No democracy to be found in Russia.”

Or anywhere else, to be honest.

Patently untrue.

I feel like he has engaged before, but maybe I am getting my Russians mixed up

Like the super peppy propagandist Hope? It engages, if you can call non sequitur responses “engagement”.

Putin: "Nobody in the world can fix an election as well as I can."

Democrats in the U.S.: "Hold my beer."

2020hindsights Today  09:05 am JST

The US and EU have free press

The Democrats in the U.S. don't have to control the press. The press are quite willing to do the Democrats' bidding all on their own.

Been that way for decades.

JJE

The Russian Central Election Commission in Moscow has a live feed of cameras on each and every polling station on their website amongst a plethora of other sources, information and live updates.

This is probably the most transparent election in human history. No hanging chads.

But the Russian Central Election Commission is not independent, so a waste of time. The only independent election-monitoring organisation is Golos, but designated a 'foreign agent'.

Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war politician, collected enough signatures to gain a place on the ballot, but was banned from standing.

Alexei Nalvany died in solitary confinement in a Siberian gulag.

Quo Primum

The US and EU have free press

The Democrats in the U.S. don't have to control the press. The press are quite willing to do the Democrats' bidding all on their own.

Been that way for decades.

Really? Certainly doesn't seem like it when I watch Fox News or Newsmax.

The press are quite willing to do the Democrats' bidding all on their own.

What about Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, etc?

Do you think they would pass up a juicy scoop that would pwn the libs?

Part of not having a dictator with a 100% approval rating is that the truth comes out much more easily.

'Country with sham democracy re-elects dictator shock'

It’s about diversity of opinions vs. groupthink.

Ask your business leaders which they would prefer to drive innovation and results.

Will the puffy faced midget get 99% of the vote or only 97.9%?

it really depends on how many people want to die in prison or fall out of windows for a cause.

At this point, Russian Presidential elections are about seeing which precincts can get closest to exactly 80% for Putin, without going under. It is like a game show with a fixed outcome.

Russia will never be a free country. There's just something about the Russian people that they expect and almost desire to be under the heel of a boot.

TokyoLivingToday 08:26 am JST

Putin has the popularity in his own country that Biden, Sunak, Macron and almost all western anti Russian leaders can only dream of.

Sure, most powerful man on earth..

Xi would like a word with you. He's the one that dresses Putin up for his walks.

Putin the Butcher

Putin . . . The Butcher of Ukraine.

What a guy!

Crimea voted in the last national election in 2018, so it not their first time. But it will be for the Donbass (Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson), so it should be interesting to see how they vote.

Putin will do pretty well there is what the TV pundits and pollsters are saying.

Fake elections in Russia, but even more so in Ukraine.

The "elections" in Ukraine are a moot point, because Russia does not own that land, and never will.

@JJE

Navalny had no credible history in country wide electoral politics - that's what the western media aren't telling you about their appointed "opposition leader".

Oh yeah? Is that why Putin had to murder him? That makes no sense.

How can you support a leader who locks up and kills anyone who disagrees with the current government narrative? The vast majority of Russian people can't stand Putin, but they're afraid to say so because they know the consequences...

Wonder what the odds on Putin losing are.

Nearly longer than Stalin now.

Compilation of Russian war crimes in Ukraine to honor the election weekend. 7min. Don't look away.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1768357039305093410

Interesting visualization of a second strike:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1768429463828828167

and a fourth strike too, I suppose.

Beware the Ides of March.