Russians are called to the polls. In the midst of the war in Ukraine, polling stations opened on Friday, including in areas of Ukraine currently under Russian control. If the election should be without surprises – Vladimir Putin being almost assured of winning this new election, several incidents took place in the country in the polling stations. However, it is difficult to see these as protests against the power or the war in Ukraine, the reasons remaining unclear for the moment.
Having gone to Russia to cover the presidential election, reporter Anne Nivat and author of “Hatred and Denial”, admits to the microphone of Europe 1, the difficulty of exercising her profession in the country. “It’s very complicated. I’ve never seen this in 30 years when I asked for visas for Russia,” she assures, emphasizing for example that she only has an eight-day visa, like any visitor. or journalist coming from a country deemed hostile to Russia. “That is to say, those who deliver weapons to Ukraine,” specifies the journalist.
Russia’s victory hoped for
A very short duration and papers which are not always sufficient to be able to enter Russian territory. “When we arrive at the airport, even with the visa, they hold us for 2 hours, 2 and a half hours to ask us questions.” For two years, the war in Ukraine has reshaped Russian society. But in Moscow, as in the rest of the country, weariness is spreading among the population. “There is great weariness on the part of the Russians with regard to this war. And, even those who are in favor of the war and therefore in favor of Vladimir Putin, want the war to stop,” she emphasizes.
“But in fact, they want it to end with Russia’s victory. And that’s why Vladimir Putin is counting on them since they want this victory,” adds the journalist. “The victory for the Russians would be to stop sending soldiers to the front where they die. In short, it is the capitulation of Ukraine and the preservation of the territories taken by the combat, that is “say, 17% of Ukraine”, concludes Anne Nivat.
The author of “Hate and Denial” is traveling the Russian Federation for a few more days, to follow the presidential election as closely as possible. An “election which is useless, everyone says it in Russia, totally useless, but which remains a means of legitimizing the power in place, that of Vladimir Putin”.