Russian Protesters Use Dye to Disrupt Presidential Election

As the three-day presidential vote began, some Russians protested by pouring dye into the ballot boxes. This protest is expected to further solidify Vladimir Putin's long-standing hold on power.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine over two years ago, dissent has been effectively banned in the country.

Videos from various polling stations in Russia were released on Friday, showing protesters pouring dye into ballot boxes to spoil the votes. One CCTV video from a polling station in Moscow captured a young woman pouring green dye into a ballot box. She was detained on the spot and is now facing criminal charges for obstructing the election, as reported by Russian state media RIA Novosti.

Polls opened in Russia's 11 time zones on Friday. Most opposition candidates are not able to run, which means Putin is likely to win easily and stay in power until at least 2030.

Even though the outcome of the election is predictable, the Kremlin wants everything to go smoothly without any signs of disagreement.

Voters in the Voronezh, Rostov, and Karachay-Cherkessia regions have also protested, as mentioned by Alena Bulgakova, who is the chair of the Russian Civic Chamber.

Bulgakova claimed that the protests happening simultaneously were a clear sign of a planned and organized provocation.

In Moscow, a woman was arrested for setting fire to a voting booth at a polling station on Friday. Officials confirmed that the ballots were unharmed, and voting proceeded as usual.

Over in St. Petersburg, Putin's hometown, a woman threw a Molotov cocktail at the signboard of a polling station in the Moskovsky district. Fortunately, the fire was put out swiftly, and no one was hurt, according to RIA reports.

Ella Pamfilova, the chair of Russia's Central Election Committee, referred to the protesters as "scum" and made unsupported claims that some individuals who poured liquid into ballot boxes were paid to do so.

The Russian government frequently accuses political dissenters of being paid to provoke trouble rather than genuinely expressing their dissent.

Alexey Navalny was attacked with green ink after leading large anti-government protests in 2017.

Alexey Navalny was attacked with green ink after leading large anti-government protests in 2017.

Evgeny Feldman/AP

Green dye has been used in attacks on Russian journalists and opposition figures, most notably on the late Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, Putin’s most formidable opponent.

Navalny, who staged massive anti-government protests in 2017, was attacked with antiseptic green dye that harmed his left eye vision.

A month ago, Navalny passed away in an Arctic prison. The Russian prison service stated that he suddenly fell ill after a walk and lost consciousness, ultimately attributing his death to natural causes. The Kremlin has denied any responsibility for his death.

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Navalny, is urging Russians to protest the "fake" presidential election by coming together on Sunday at noon for the final day of voting to show their opposition.

Reporting for CNN was done by Sharon Braithwaite.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the suppression of dissent and the blatant manipulation of the presidential election in Russia. Protests against Vladimir Putin's iron-fisted rule