Faced with the threat of a protest, the Russian government issues a warning.
The Moscow Prosecutor's Office on Thursday warned Russians against any protest action during the presidential election from Friday to Sunday, for which opponent Yulia Navalnaïa called on her supporters to gather in polling stations at the same time.
“Organizing and participating in these mass events is punishable under current legislation,” the capital’s prosecutor’s office said on Telegram, referring to the rallies proposed by the widow of opponent Alexei Navalny.
No real suspense
The presidential election, which extends over three days, begins with the opening of polling stations in the Far East at 8:00 a.m. local time on Friday (8:00 p.m. GMT Thursday) and will end with the closing of those in Kaliningrad, on the Baltic, on Sunday at 18:00 GMT.
Vladimir Putin, in power for 24 years, judged Thursday that we should not “turn away from the path” and vote to express a “patriotic” position and “confirm our unity and determination to move forward”.
The outgoing head of state will face three candidates without scope who oppose neither the Ukrainian offensive nor the repression which has eradicated all opposition, and culminated with the death in prison in mid-February of the main detractor of the Kremlin, Alexei Navalny.
Critics of the Kremlin, for their part, will not be able to make themselves heard.
The only real opponent to have tried to run, Boris Nadejdine, saw his candidacy rejected.
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However, there is no doubt about the election of Vladimir Putin.
The vote should allow him to remain in power until 2030. Following a constitutional revision, he will be able to run again and remain in power until 2036, the year he turns 84.