Putin receives slim support from global Russian diaspora, poll finds

If the collective voice of Russian immigrants around the world had a say, Vladimir Putin would garner only 15% of the votes. Nonetheless, there were European cities where he emerged victorious, according to an exit poll conducted by the Russian independent group "Vote Abroad" at Russian diplomatic missions globally.

From March 15-17, members of the extensive Russian diaspora voted at consulates and embassies of the Russian Federation. Outside these locations, "Vote Abroad" activists inquired about their voting choices or if they opposed the candidates. They collected responses from over 68,000 people who participated in the polling.

The data reveals that only 15% of Russians living abroad voted for Putin. Meanwhile, 46% chose Vladislav Davankov, the Deputy Speaker of the State Duma from the New People party. Seventeen percent of participants submitted void ballots, and 19% preferred to keep their vote confidential. The remaining two candidates, Nikolai Charitonov and Leonid Slutsky, each secured roughly one percent of the vote.

In several capitals and cities, a higher number of Russians voted for Putin, notably: Athens (59%), Rome (38%), Ankara (38%), Bonn (31%), Genoa (48%), and Nicosia (36%).

In Warsaw, only 3% of the surveyed Russians supported Putin, with 57% favoring Davankov, and 30% submitting void ballots.

The "Vote Abroad" initiative, formed in 2021 by pro-democratic Russian diaspora activists, conducts exit poll research across 48 countries.