In the recent Russian presidential elections, Vladimir Putin secured another victory with 88% of the votes, marking his fifth term as president. During these elections in Russia, Alexei Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalny, exercised her right to vote. She awaited her turn in line for five hours and inscribed her late husband's name on the ballot paper.
Yulia Navalny arrived in Berlin, Germany, determined to cast her vote at the Russian embassy. Despite the looming threat of arrest, she remained undeterred and persisted in her decision to vote there.
Yulia Joins Demonstrations
Participating in protests on election day in Berlin, Yulia (47) wiped her tears and announced, 'I wrote Navalny's name on my ballot.' The 47-year-old also engaged in the 'Noon Against Putin' campaign, where she received a warm and spirited welcome.
Yulia Labels Putin a Gangster
In a message to Russian citizens and her supporters, Yulia urged them to be courageous and asserted that victory would come soon. When asked if she had a message for Putin, she requested no messages be conveyed to him on her behalf, describing him as a killer and a gangster with whom no dialogue is possible.
Opponents Have Disappeared
Yulia claimed that Putin might remain in power until at least 2030. The recent three-day elections in Russia concluded in a highly controlled environment. Public criticism of Putin for the Ukraine war is not permitted in Russia. Last month, Alexei Navalny, Putin’s fiercest political opponent, died in an Arctic prison. Putin’s critics are either imprisoned or in exile. In this election, three candidates ran against 71-year-old Putin, who are reportedly close to the Kremlin. They refrained from criticizing his 24-year rule or his decision to launch a special military operation against Ukraine two years ago.
