Moscow [Russia], March 17 (ANI): Protests were seen at polling stations on Sunday, the last date of voting in the elections that is expected to extend the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the country, CNN reported.
At approximately 12 p.m. local time on Sunday, those who were supporting the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny called on people to vote in unison to demonstrate their support for the opposition.
According to CNN, people were being let through the gates in groups to go through security, and inside the building, bags were being inspected and metal detectors were used in a measure to keep the security in place.
The Russian presidential elections which were held for three days are widely assumed to see Vladimir Putin return as president for six more years.
For Ukraine and its international allies, the voting exercise is seen as a Russian attempt to give ‘legitimacy’ to its control over the Ukrainian territory it holds, according to CNN.
Russian Telegram channels have shown other mobile election teams across the territories under Moscow’s control, including some that show Russian soldiers accompanying election officials as they go house to house.
Ukrainian officials say intimidation tactics like that are commonplace and are aimed at forcing people to give their vote to Putin.
Ukraine claims that Moscow will “fabricate” the final results and insists that the majority of people living under Russian occupation are choosing not to take part in the poll. (ANI)
