Russia elections 2024: Presidential vote begins in which Putin hopes to be ratified

Polling stations opened in Far East Russia begins a presidential election that will last three days, in which Vladimir Putinin power for 24 years, he is seeking a new mandate.

Elections began on Friday at 08:00 local time (20:00 GMT Thursday) in Kamchatka Peninsulain the far east of Russiaand will end on Sunday at 8pm local time (6pm GMT) in Kaliningrada Russian enclave in the middle of the countries of European Union.

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The inhabitants of Far East They began voting as residents of the western part of this country across 11 time zones were getting ready for bed.

Voting will take place over three days, including in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine or in Transnistriapro-Russian separatist territory of Moldavia.

The president appealed to his compatriots not to “Get out of the way“and express in elections, in which no other important politician is present, a position”patriotic” for “confirm our unity and determination to move forward”.

Putin, in power since 2000, faces three candidates who do not oppose the military offensive in Ukraine nor the repression that eradicates any type of opposition, as demonstrated by the death in prison, in mid-February, of the Kremlin’s main detractor, Alexey Navalny.

The authorities spoke of a natural death, but the opponent’s entourage denounced his murder.

The only real adversary who tried to escape, Boris Nadejdinwas blocked by the electoral commission.

Navalny’s widow Julia Navalnaya, who lives in exile and promised to continue his fight, called on Russians to vote for any candidate except Putin. The wives of Russian soldiers deployed in Ukraine, who demand their return, joined this appeal.

But no one doubts Putin’s re-election, who will be able to remain in power until 2030 and, after a constitutional reform, run again to continue leading the country until 2036, when he will turn 84 years old.

The Public Ministry Moscow warned that it would not tolerate any type of protest action during the vote.

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Early voting has already been taking place in Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia since the end of February.

Ukrainian diplomacy has called on the international community to reject the result of an election that it describes as “farce”.

New land incursions from Ukraine

New ground incursions from Ukraine and drone strikes left at least two people dead in Russia on Thursday.

O Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) stated that he repelled, together with the army and the border guard, an attack by a group of “spoiler”near the city of TiotkinoIn the region of Kurskon the border with Ukraine.

On Tuesday there were already attacks against that city, carried out by pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters, who according to the Kremlin were decimated.

One of these militias, “Russian Freedom Legion”, urged civilians on Thursday to evacuate that area and promised “free the Russian regions” in Belgorod and Kursk.

At the same time, drone attacks are multiplying hundreds of kilometers from the front.

The Belgorod region and its capital of the same name were targets of these attacks. On Thursday, two civilians were killed and at least 19 injured, according to regional authorities, who announced the provisional closure of shopping centers to avoid further victims.

Putin against the West

Vladimir Putinwhich presents the conflict as a war against Western powers in which Russia risks its survival, evoked the “hard times” that Russians live, without detailing them.

SEE TOO: NATO countries do not provide Ukraine with enough ammunition, criticizes the Alliance’s Secretary General

The Russian economy, subject to international sanctions, has recovered but is focused on the war effort, entering the third year of a conflict that the Kremlin thought it could resolve in a few days.

Russia has managed to regain the initiative at the front, in part due to a lack of momentum in Western aid to Ukraine, and Putin is proud of recent achievements, such as the capture in February of the city of Avdiivka.

In Brussels, the secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenbergestimated that the countries of the Atlantic Alliance did not give “enough ammunition”to Kiev and that this had“daily consequences on the battlefield”.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.