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Yulia Navalnaya in front of the Russian embassy: queuing for the pseudo-election
Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi / AP
Yulia Navalnaya says she wrote the name of her late husband on the ballot paper in the Russian presidential election.
The widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said this on Sunday in Berlin after taking part in the election at the Russian embassy there.
Navalnaya unexpectedly joined the queue in front of the embassy and then entered the area in the early evening.
Shortly afterwards she left again.
The Russian presidential election is overshadowed by allegations of fraud and manipulation.
One month after the death of Alexei Navalny and more than two years after the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin wants to secure his fifth term in office.
He has already been confirmed as the winner in advance and is likely to achieve a record result.
Wave of protests in Russia
Thousands of opponents of the long-time president accompanied the election in Russia with a remarkable wave of protests.
Despite attempts at intimidation by the authorities, people in many cities across the country gathered in front of their respective polling stations on Sunday around 12 noon local time for the “Lunch Against Putin” campaign.
Hundreds of people also demonstrated against Putin in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin.
According to Russian authorities, Navalny died in a prison camp in the polar region in mid-February.
The sharp critic of Kremlin leader Putin was physically very weakened by a poison attack in 2020 and constant solitary confinement in the camp.
His supporters and many international observers therefore agree that there can be no question of a “natural” cause of death, as is stated on the death certificate.
Widow Navalnaya held Putin responsible for her husband's fate in front of the world at the Munich Security Conference.
lhi/dpa