Russia's presidential elections marred by irregularities and disruptions
Cameras in polling stations in the Altai territory of Russia have stopped functioning. In Chukotka, voters are welcomed with pancakes. In Zabaikalsky Krai, employees are transported to polling stations during work hours, and in Belgorod, a venue was evacuated due to a missile attack. This scenario depicts how Russians are voting for their "Tsar".
9:01 AM EDT, March 16, 2024
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The presidential elections in Russia have garnered immense interest, leading to significant wait times for electronic voting - at least according to Kremlin propaganda.
"The digital systems in the capital are experiencing an unprecedented load. The electronic queue is part of a planned, normal algorithm," explained Artem Kostyrko, head of the department for territorial management improvement and smart projects development of the Moscow government. Already, half a million Russians have voted electronically.
In the polling stations, notable figures such as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov have made appearances. Voting is also occurring in the occupied regions of Ukraine, which is a breach of the Geneva Convention.
Independent Russian media have begun reporting instances of election-related misconduct. For example, in Voronezh, ballots were inserted into boxes before the location officially opened.
"Our observer demanded their removal, to which the committee consented," reported the channel Dissident.
RIA Novosti boasts that first-time voters from the Moscow region are receiving chocolate bars with campaign symbols as gifts.
Near polling station No. 288 in Khanty-Mansiysk, the police detained Polina Zmanovskaya, who was conducting an exit poll.
In the Altai territory, all cameras in polling stations have been switched off.
In Kamchatka, 76 percent of eligible voters have already cast their ballots.
An evacuation was necessary in Belgorod due to a missile attack.
In Vankarem in Chukotka, voters are being treated to pancakes.
In the village of Taptugary in Zabaikalsky Krai, employees from a local enterprise were brought to the polling station during work hours.
An independent observer in Voronezh noted that a portrait of Putin was conspicuously displayed in the polling station. Following a complaint, commission members covered it with a sheet.
For the first time in history, Russians are voting for a president over three days. Voting concludes on Sunday.
