Putin amasses 80,000 in Red Square amid controversial election win
About 80,000 Russians gathered in Moscow's Red Square, ostensibly celebrating not just Putin's victory in the controversial presidential election but also the 10th anniversary of Crimea's annexation. The speech from the dictator was filled with confrontational rhetoric.
12:55 PM EDT, March 19, 2024
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Entering stage in Red Square, the Russian leader extended "congratulations" to the people of Sevastopol and Crimea on their "integration into Russia." This region was annexed by Putin in 2014, a move widely condemned internationally. The dictator seemed perturbed by the fact that Ukrainians, through the Revolution of Dignity, expelled Putin's ally, Viktor Yanukovych, for not signing an association agreement with the European Union – an agreement that would have brought Ukraine closer to the West.
He asserted Russia's commitment to "act in unity with the new regions."
- "The journey of these new regions back to the motherland was challenging and tragic, but we have succeeded," he stated. He vowed to extend the railway from Rostov-on-Don to the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Mariupol, now under occupation, and dubbed Crimea as a "strategic territory" and a source of national pride.
"The propaganda machine is in full swing"
Michał Marek, a specialist in Russian propaganda, reflected on the Moscow event, saying: "It was a large-scale 'celebration' aimed at instilling pride in the nation for their leader and decisions. The propaganda machine continues its efforts to justify the need for further conquests and the exploitation of neighboring countries," as he disclosed in a post on platform X.
Mass Mobilization to Red Square
Reports from independent media ahead of the event indicated a large-scale transport of individuals to Red Square to serve as mere stand-ins. "This morning they were equipped with badges, then herded into the crowd awaiting to be led to the stage," reports SOTA.
According to Astra, attendees "had to provide photographic evidence of their attendance at the square, effectively barring them from leaving." They were also given specific instructions to mark their presence via geolocation.
Observers noted a significant number of buses and police vans ushering people into the square.
The Central Election Commission announced that, with all votes counted, Vladimir Putin secured 87.28% of the vote in the "presidential election," with a voter turnout of 77.44%. Democracies worldwide have expressed their disapproval of the election outcome, refusing to congratulate the victor or recognize the legitimacy of the electoral process.
