The Russian opposition also protested against Russia’s show elections in Finland.
Terhi Toivonen,
Tero Valtanen
The Russian opposition has organized protests against the Russian show elections in the afternoon in Russia and in other countries.
An anti-Putin protest was also organized in Finland. Sunday is the last day of voting in the Russian presidential election, but in practice the president Vladimir Putin will continue for a fifth season.
At the same time as Finnish Russians queued to vote at the Russian embassy on Tehtaankatu, democracy activists stood on the other side of the road with signs opposing Putin and the war.
Chairman of the Russian-speaking Democratic Community of Finland Irina Vesikko says that the oppositionists have a protest day today.
– We have agreed that we will gather for a protest at 12 o’clock. If they want to vote or don’t want to vote, as long as you are against Putin and the war. It works both in Russia and elsewhere. In Russia, you can’t organize an open demonstration. Such a protest with signs is not possible, says Vesikko.
Vesikko sheds more light on the idea of expression. People can vote or put, for example, a couple of ticks on a ticket, but that’s a protest.
– It is not a vote for anyone or someone other than Putin. They are against Putin.
Vesikko explains that many people waiting in line go to the embassy to vote, because it makes more sense to use their vote themselves somehow. Namely, it means that no one can steal it.
– If you don’t go to vote, someone can take the ticket and cross it for Putin. That’s how the fake election is done.
Vesikko is satisfied with the number of people who came to the protest and the atmosphere of the rally.
– I am grateful that such a nice number of people have come despite the weather, fear and uncertainty. People have come here who are unsure or have previously participated in the open demonstrations that we have been organizing for three years now. People have come to tell against their own voice.
An opposition politician who died in prison in February To Alexei Navalny widow Yulia Navalnaya has called for demonstrations at the polling stations. According to Navalnaya, the purpose of the protests is to make it clear to everyone that Russia no longer needs Putin.
Navalnaya has continued her husband’s work since his death. The seizure has also been supported by another opponent of Putin, a former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
In Russia, the authorities have arrested dozens of people for vandalism at polling stations. Activists have protested against the show elections by, among other things, pouring dye into the ballot boxes, setting ballots on fire and throwing fuel bottles into the election office.