President Vladimir Putin has further solidified his authority over Russia, a country he has governed since the dawn of the 21st century, by securing a commanding victory in the recent election. But many Russians were brave enough to protest what they see as nothing short of a sham election that Putin was going to win anyway given he has allegedly killed off most of his real opponents.
This election has been characterized as meticulously orchestrated, with the outcome seemingly predetermined. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), Putin garnered an unrealistic 87.3% of the vote, with the election witnessing a historically high voter turnout of 77.5%. This victory ensures that Putin will continue to lead the nation until at least 2030, by which time he will be 77 years old. By then, he will have surpassed all previous Russian leaders in terms of longevity in power since the era of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, marking a third full decade of his leadership.
Early Monday, he heralded his triumph against a field of largely symbolic contenders as evidence of the Russian populace's "trust" in his leadership.
"Of course, we have lots of tasks ahead. But I want to make it clear for everyone: When we were consolidated, no one has ever managed to frighten us, to suppress our will and our self-conscience. They failed in the past and they will fail in the future," Putin said after polls closed.
Under Putin's governance, efforts to silence dissenting voices, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, have been notably effective. Alexei Navalny, the activist regarded as Putin's most formidable critic, died in a Russian penal facility last month.
The landscape of the election was notably devoid of legitimate opposition. With the most viable opposition figures either deceased, incarcerated, in exile, or disqualified from participation, and given the stringent suppression of dissent in the wake of Russia's comprehensive military engagement in Ukraine in February 2022, Putin's unchallenged ascendancy was virtually guaranteed.
The electoral process allowed for only a select few candidates to run against Putin, all of whom were deemed acceptable by the Kremlin. Among these, Nikolay Kharitonov from the Communist Party emerged as the closest competitor, securing merely 4.3% of the vote. This election, therefore, underscores the continuation of autocratic governance in Russia, with Putin's prolonged rule further entrenching his control over the country's political landscape.
According to CNN, protests erupted at Russian embassies throughout Europe, with significant turnouts observed in major cities like London and Paris, where large crowds convened at noon. In a poignant display of resistance, Navalnaya was seen joining a demonstration in Berlin, standing in line alongside fellow dissenters. The electoral process, however, was not only marked by these peaceful demonstrations but also witnessed more stark forms of protest. Ella Pamfilova, the chief of Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC), reported a series of aggressive actions against the electoral process. By Saturday, Russia had initiated no fewer than 15 criminal investigations in response to acts that included the pouring of dye into ballot boxes, the setting of fires, and the throwing of Molotov cocktails at polling stations. In total, 29 polling stations across 20 regions faced attacks, with arson attempts accounting for eight of these incidents. On the final day of voting, over 60 individuals were detained in at least 16 cities.
Putin has solidified his hold on power for a few more years, but his popularity his largely diminished as many Russians view him as destroying their country - not developing it. The fact that even in 2024, a dictator like Putin can get away with attacking another sovereign nation, killing his own people, holding a sham election, and yet still have a seat in the United Nations, demonstrates just how backward our world really is.
Putin's "win" is a loss for the civilized world.
