On the opening day of the 2024 Russian presidential election, ballot boxes and polling locations are being targeted by protesters. Russian officials have reported five separate incidents of dye being poured into ballot boxes across Russia, as well as a polling booth being set on fire and fireworks being set off in polling locations.
The election is being held from March 15 to 17, with incumbent President Vladimir Putin being one of four presidential candidates. Putin is expected to win reelection to a fifth term. He was shown casting his ballot online from his office in a Kremlin press release.
Russian news agency Tass reported Putin as saying that Ukrainian efforts to disrupt the Russian presidential election being held in Russia and areas captured in the war with Ukraine will not be successful. “These attacks, pointless from the military point of view and criminal from the humanitarian point of view, as has been said, are geared to hinder presidential election in Russia. I am convinced that our people will respond to this by being more consolidated,” he said.
