Voters cast their votes on the final day of the Russian presidential elections in Moscow (Reuters)

The Central Election Commission in Russia announced that the turnout rate reached 66% on the third and final day of the presidential elections, which seem almost settled for President Vladimir Putin, while his opponents organized a symbolic movement at the polling stations.

The Central Elections Commission said that the percentage of electronic voting was approximately 90% of those who expressed their desire to vote remotely.

114 million voters were invited to participate in these elections, which also took place in 4 regions of Ukraine that are partly under the control of Russian forces.

The first estimates of the results of the presidential elections are scheduled to be released tonight, and expectations indicate a major victory for Putin (71 years old) for a fifth presidential term for 6 years until 2030.

The current president faces the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, Leonid Slutsky, the Communist Party candidate, Nikolai Kharitonov, and the New People's Party candidate, Vladislav Davankov.

According to the Kremlin, Putin has the support of more than 80% of Russians, but opponents accuse him of suppressing the opposition.

Activists spoke of pressure exerted by the authorities to push voters to vote, while Russian officials and official media indicated a heavy turnout at the ballot boxes inside and outside Russia.

Alexei Navalny's widow, Yulia, participates in a protest movement during voting in the presidential elections at the Russian embassy in Berlin (French)

Opponents protest

Meanwhile, thousands of opposition supporters gathered at noon in front of polling stations in several cities as part of a peaceful political movement called “Noon Against Putin.” The prominent Russian opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, who died last month in an Arctic prison, had announced his support for this movement, according to those close to him. .

Navalny's supporters called on voters who oppose Putin and the war on Ukraine to come en masse to the polling stations at noon and cast their votes for one of the three candidates or write anti-Putin slogans on the voting cards.

Russian media published pictures of cards reading “murderer,” “thief,” or “we are waiting for you in The Hague,” in reference to demands for the Russian president to be tried before the International Criminal Court.

The non-governmental organization OVD Info reported the arrest of 74 people in 17 cities in Russia, including the capital, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kazan.

Russian opponents also gathered in front of many Russian diplomatic missions abroad to express their protest against the policies of President Vladimir Putin, and the widow of the late oppositionist Alexei Navalny participated in the action organized by the opposition in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin.

The presidential elections witnessed the sabotage of many voting offices, and Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian National Security Council, called for tougher penalties on those involved in these acts.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies