Russian exiles cast votes to voice dissent to Putin and Ukraine war
Many said the vote was symbolic, as most anti-war candidates were barred and the Kremlin is likely to portray turnout as support for Putin.
- On Sunday, Russians living abroad cast final ballots in the State Duma election, describing the act as a moral duty and symbolic protest against President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.
- Hundreds of thousands of Russians fled following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, settling across Europe, Armenia, Georgia, and Kazakhstan to form a distinct voting bloc despite the Kremlin's attempt to frame the election as public support.
- Most anti-war candidates were barred from the ballot, leading voters like Olga, waiting in Yerevan, to characterize the process as symbolic. "It's about putting on a bit of a show," she said.
- While some expressed deep pessimism, 24-year-old Varvara in Berlin maintained hope, saying, "We still have our whole lives ahead of us, and we really want to be in Russia one day." Valery in Yerevan insisted he could still make a difference.
- Protesters outside the Russian embassy in Berlin displayed placards calling the president a war criminal while supporting imprisoned dissenters; as the war enters its fifth year, these acts reflect the deepening divide between diaspora voters and United Russia party policies.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Voting in the Russian State Duma elections also took place outside Russia on Sunday. 333 polling stations opened in 152 countries around the world, including at the Russian Embassy in Tallinn.
Russian exiles cast votes to voice dissent to Putin and Ukraine war
BERLIN/YEREVAN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Russians living abroad cast their votes on Sunday, the final day of a parliamentary election, in what many described as a moral duty, if ultimately a futile act of protest against President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Russia began a three-day parliamentary election on Friday, the first since Russia launched a full-scale war in Ukraine. Russian citizens living abroad can cast their votes at Russian embassies and consulates.
Russia began a three-day parliamentary election on Friday, the first since the start of full-scale war in Ukraine. Russian citizens living abroad can vote at Russian diplomatic missions.
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