political protest

Thousands of people across Russia participated in a protest against President Vladimir Putin’s re-election, dubbed “noon against Putin,” by either spoiling their ballot paper or voting for one of the three candidates opposing Putin. The protest was inspired by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who had endorsed the plan before his death. Navalny’s allies reported significant participation in the protest at various polling stations. Despite the protest, Putin was expected to secure a landslide victory. The Kremlin views Navalny’s political allies as extremists and claims Putin enjoys high approval ratings. The protest saw participation not only in Russia but also at Russian diplomatic missions abroad, with notable gatherings in Berlin and London.