The most remarkable thing about this news story is how routine it feels. The Kremlin simply held a “training seminar” on how to run a presidential election with 70% turnout and 70% of the vote going to Putin.
The deputy governors in attendance carried out training assignments and all that. Practically like command-staff exercises run by the General Staff.
That’s all: just violated the Constitution and several articles of the Criminal Code.
And that is the answer to everyone who asked me to comment on Duma speaker Volodin’s epic statement—by this summer-house owner—“I am not prepared to interpret it in your interpretation”, claiming that Navalny must not be allowed to take part in the election.
The little clique that seized power and made billions from it truly believes that presidential elections—and elections in general—are not for us, but for them.
For them, it is a kind of exercise, like the Soviet-era game Zarnitsa (a military-style youth war game) or civil defense drills. “A set of measures aimed at securing the desired results.”
You understand perfectly well what such “training exercises for deputy governors” consist of:
- How to finish off any local press so it does not dare squeak;
- How to control local social media;
- How to bus public-sector employees to polling stations in an organized way and monitor whom they vote for;
- How to keep observers out of polling stations;
- How to stuff ballots;
- How to make sure no one else’s campaign is even noticed.
and so on.
Obviously, our plans to take part in the election—with a real campaign and no throwing the game—do not fit into this concept at all. They contradict every single point of their “training exercises.”
The fewer independent, uncontrollable elements there are, the greater their chances of success.
The answer here is simple: become an uncontrollable element. I need your signature to register—give it here.
If you want to support the only campaign without state money or oligarchs, join us.