Putin Wins Fifth Term
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Russian President Vladimir Putin won a fifth term over the weekend in a largely unsurprising result.
The Details: The three-day vote happened amid Ukrainian bombardments, drone strikes, sabotage, reported cyberattacks, and protests on Russian territory or at polling locations.
Electoral Crime: Arrests were made at several polling stations where protestors have poured dye into ballot boxes, a tactic now deceased opposition leader Alexi Navalny has endorsed. Ukrainian intelligence has also claimed to have hacked Russia’s online voting systems.
For Context: Although Putin remains a very popular leader within Russia, many Western governments and media outlets have criticized the elections and political situation in Russia as being undemocratic and authoritarian. The most popular opposition candidate, Alexei Navalny, died in a penal colony in February.
How The Media Covered It: Western media outlets at large have criticized the elections as undemocratic and framed media coverage primarily around the reported upheaval.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Russians urged to disrupt final day of Vladimir Putin’s presidential election
Critics of Vladimir Putin and his Kremlin regime have called for massive protests at Russian polling stations on Sunday, the final day of a presidential election that is guaranteed to cement his hardline rule.
The three-day vote has already been hit by Ukrainian bombardments and a series of incursions into Russian territory by anti-Putin sabotage groups. Early on Sunday, a drone attack caused a fire at a refinery at Slavyansk in the Krasnodar region of southern Russia, where officials said one person died of a heart attack, while two people died...
From the Center
Putin Sees Disastrous Start to Presidential Election
The beginning of Russia's three-day election weekend was marred by protests, military conflict and reported cyber attacks as President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to be elected to serve another six-year term.
Moscow officials were once again accused by Western officials and Russian adversaries of tipping the country's presidential election in Putin's favor ahead of polls opening on Friday. Several of Putin's challengers were running campaigns from behind bars or were blocked from appearing on the presidential ballot. If things continue to go as planned for Putin, due to a law he signed in 2021,...
From the Right
Russia threatens ‘scumbag’ election saboteurs with eight years in prison
Furious Russian officials have threatened “scumbag” presidential election saboteurs with eight years in prison for pouring green ink into ballot boxes.
The crackdown comes ahead of an expected “flash mob” protest at noon on Sunday – the final day of voting – at the urging of exiled opposition leaders.
The peaceful strategy was endorsed by Alexei Navalny, shortly before his death at the hands of Russian authorities in a gulag in Siberia.
At least two more attacks on ballot boxes were reported on Saturday, adding to roughly 15 recorded on Friday. The attacks have pressured officials into...
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