Midday Against Putin: Massive Protests in Russian Elections

On the third and final day of elections in Russia that will define the next president, with Vladimir Putin leading the polls, thousands of demonstrators mobilized under the slogan of “Noon against Putin” to express their displeasure with the outlook in the elections. Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia’s two main cities, witnessed the raising of voices against a government that has been in power for more than 20 years. At polling stations, demonstrators gathered to vindicate the figure of Navalny, the controversial opponent who lost his life in February while serving a prison sentence, in circumstances that have not yet been clarified. It was not only the two most important Russian cities that brought together the protesters against the current administration, but in different European capitals the proposal promoted by Navalny was celebrated, and even his widow appeared in Berlin to participate in the collective action. During this day, at least 74 people were arrested in Russian territory, and in the midst of the chaos, Putin’s government confirmed a participation of 74% of the population in the elections, a high number in relation to the skepticism surrounding the event. Peacefully, demonstrators held up posters with anti-Trump messages in the vicinity of polling stations, and dozens of participants went to the Borisovo cemetery in southern Moscow, where Navalny is buried.In addition to the current president, three other candidates whose ideas follow Putin’s line of thinking regarding the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory were officially authorized.

Original source in Spanish