Title: Long Lines Form Outside Polling Stations in Russia as Voters Protest Putin’s Expected Win
In major Russian cities, long lines of voters formed outside polling stations during the presidential election on Sunday, in what opposition figures portrayed as a striking protest against a process that is certain to keep Vladimir V. Putin in power for his fifth term.
Before his death last month, Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny had called on supporters to go to polling stations at midday on Sunday, the last day of the three-day vote, to express dissatisfaction with Mr. Putin. The opposition leaders said showing solidarity with like-minded citizens by mere presence was more important than what the voters chose to do with their ballots, because the election lacked real choice.
The initiative known as Noon Against Putin became a rallying call for Russia’s embattled opposition after the death of Mr. Navalny. His widow and political heir, Yulia Navalnaya, has presented the initiative as a way to honor his legacy and protest his death, which she blamed on the government.
Despite the risks of punishment for disrupting the vote, many voters came out to express their support for Mr. Navalny. Long lines were also seen at Russian embassies in countries with large Russian diasporas, where dissident voters faced lower risks.
The muted, purely symbolic form of civil disobedience envisioned by the initiative underscores just how little the Russian opposition can do to influence events in the country amid pervasive repression. The government has vowed to punish attempts to disrupt the vote, and more than 60 people had been detained across Russia for actions related to elections.
Overall, the protest at polling stations and embassies abroad highlighted the deep dissatisfaction with the current political climate in Russia and the desire for change among many citizens.
