Russian elections marked by vandalism, allegations, arrests
Russian police detain at least seven people for acts of vandalism at polling stations on the first day of voting in presidential elections
Russia’s presidential elections began with a series of dramatic incidents at polling stations.
Officials in Moscow detained seven individuals for acts of vandalism on the election’s first day, Friday. These acts included pouring dye into ballot boxes and more severe actions, such as setting fire to a voting booth.
In Moscow, a woman set a voting booth ablaze. Baza, a Telegram channel with links to Russian security services, reported that the incident occurred in the South-East Administrative District. “Video shows her tipping a flammable fluid over the booth before setting it alight,” Baza reported.
St. Petersburg also witnessed unrest, with local news site Fontanka reporting the throwing of a Molotov cocktail at a polling station. Amidst these incidents, widespread reports suggested voter coercion and fraud, casting doubt on the election’s fairness.
Adding to the controversy, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (DIU) alleged Russian plans to manipulate election outcomes using deceased soldiers’ names. “The Russian’ election commissions’ will try to increase the number of Putin’s voters by attracting the so-called ‘dead souls’ to the ‘voting,'” the DIU posted on Telegram.
Further disruptions included a warning from the Freedom of Russia Legion, a Pro-Kyiv Russian soldier group, of an imminent “massive attack” in Belgorod.
“Urgent warning for Belgorod residents! Over the next hour, a massive attack will be carried out on military targets in the city of Belgorod,” the group announced on Telegram.
Amidst this chaos, Russian state investigators in Moscow initiated a criminal case against a woman who poured green dye into a ballot box.
RIA state news agency released CCTV footage showing the woman committing the act before a policeman detained her. The Investigative Committee’s press service stated that she was charged with “obstructing the exercise of electoral rights or the work of election committees,” an offense punishable by up to five years in jail.
Source: Newsroom
