Surge in Queues at Russian Polling Stations After Opposition Rally

Lines started to grow longer at certain polling stations in Russia around 12pm local time on Sunday. This was the time when supporters of the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny urged people to protest the election.

A CNN team present at a polling station in Moscow observed a sudden increase in the line, which quickly grew over a five to ten minute period around noon. They estimated that approximately 150 people had joined the line during this time.

The CNN team reported that police were allowing people to enter the building in groups, going through security where their bags and metal detectors were checked.

One 39-year old voter mentioned that he arrived at noon to socialize with others, who had also arrived by then.

A woman shared with the CNN team that this was the first time she had ever witnessed a line for elections. When asked why she arrived at that time, she responded simply, "You know why. I believe everyone in this line knows why."

Voters queue at a polling station in St. Petersburg, Russia, at noon local time on Sunday.

Voters queue at a polling station in St. Petersburg, Russia, at noon local time on Sunday.

AP

It's not clear how many polling stations nationwide experienced a surge in midday crowds.

Among those who showed up at noon to vote was Boris Nadezhdin, a former top opposition candidate for president who was barred from running. He shared a video of himself casting his vote at a polling station close to Moscow.

Social media channels set up by supporters of Navalny shared video clips of long lines in various locations, including Moscow neighborhoods like Nekrasovka and Tservkaya Street, as well as spots in St Petersburg. The Navalny team also shared an image from Novosibirsk with the caption: “Today is #noon. The protest has already started in the first Siberian cities. We hope to see you there.”

Earlier this month, Navalny’s widow Yulia called for a nationwide protest, saying, “Alexey urged everyone to join this noon protest against Putin, which is why it means so much to me.”

Navalnaya mentioned on YouTube that the protests will happen in every city and district, with millions of Russians participating and tens of millions more watching.

There have been instances of civil disobedience during the voting process, such as Russia filing at least 15 criminal cases due to people pouring dye in ballot boxes, starting fires, or throwing Molotov cocktails.

Dissent has been effectively banned in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine over two years ago. Today is the last day of voting in Russia's Presidential election, where Vladimir Putin is expected to secure his fifth term in office.

Voting has been happening in all of Russia's 11 time zones, from the far eastern regions near Alaska to the western exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Coast, as well as in its 88 federal subjects, including parts of occupied Ukraine illegally annexed by Russia.

If Putin is reelected, he would remain in power until at least 2030. After constitutional changes in 2020, he could run for office again and potentially stay in power until 2036, making him Russia's longest-serving ruler since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the surge in voter turnout at midday in Russia, particularly at polling stations in Moscow and St. Petersburg. This increase is attributed to supporters of the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who called for a nationwide protest against the election. The sudden influx of people at noon