Vladimir Putin appeared confused and tense as he cast his vote in Russia's already predetermined election, which will see him further tighten his grip on the country. New video footage shows the 74-year-old, who has been in power for more than 26 years, staring intensely at a computer screen while mumbling to himself as he seemingly voted.
During parts of the video, the Kremlin leader can be seen leaning into the screen as if he is trying to make out what the words say. The Russian dictator has famously refused to wear glasses and instead allegedly uses an extra large font in his speeches. Once his 'vote is cast', Putin raises his hands, closes his paper documents and the video then pans to his screen so the viewer can see it.
Putin's eyesight admission
Known for his reluctance in admitting to any health issues, Putin said last year: "My [eyesight] was [fine] all the time [during my life]. Five or six years ago, I went for a check-up and they said to me 'somewhere between 0.9 and 0.8 [good but not perfect vision].' They gave me glasses. I put them on for the first time. I got dizzy."
Over the next coming days, Russians are going to the polls to elect a new State Duma in a tightly controlled vote stripped of meaningful competition, and there will be little surprise in its outcome. Voting officially began at 8am today and will continue for three days, until 8pm local time on September 20. It is the country's first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Criticism of the elections
However, the elections have been plagued with comments that they are unfair and fiercely controlled by the authorities. The polls are "fake 'elections' that will produce a fake parliament," said the Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. "The incoming State Duma must not be recognised as democratically elected or as the legitimate representative of the Russian people."
Local candidates and organisations have also reported coordinated efforts to transport individuals to polling stations in various regions. Meanwhile, State Duma candidate Vyacheslav Dyukov claimed to have seen "bussed-in state employees" at polling places throughout the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk.
Yabloko barred from elections
In August, Russia's Supreme Court barred the country's only liberal, anti-war party, Yabloko (Apple), from running in the parliamentary elections. Yabloko was the only registered party to oppose Russia's war on Ukraine. Hundreds of predominantly young people gathered outside the Moscow courthouse chanting "Shame! Shame!" after the ruling was delivered. The case against it was brought forward by Rodina, a pro-Kremlin nationalist party.
The Kremlin doesn't appear to care what critics say. "We have our own political system, our own political process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said recently.
