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Russia 2018: Kremlin Countdown

Updated

A tip sheet on Russia's March 18 presidential election delivering RFE/RL and Current Time TV news, videos, and analysis along with links to what our Russia team is watching. Compiled by RFE/RL correspondents and editors.

Results Nixed From Seven Polling Sites

Central Election Commission Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova has announced the nullification of results from seven five polling stations, including one in the Moscow region (including Nos. 1480, 1204, 1353, 509). Current Time TV has more here.

Acknowledging And Congratulating

One of the things that observers are keeping an eye on is who is offering congratulations to Putin on his reelection.

Little surprise that a number of leaders in ex-Soviet countries have already expressed best wishes, including Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka (23 years in power), Moldovan President Igor Dodon (14 months in power), and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev (narly 18 years).

Other leaders so far include Bolivian President Evo Morales, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Cuban leader Raul Castro, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

A spokesman for German Chancelor Angela Merkel also said on March 19 that the German chancelor would "soon" congratulate Putin on his electoral victory, according to Reuters, adding that while Berlin is at odds with Russia on many issues but will stay in contact. AFP quoted the spokesman as citing "challenges" in relations.

It remains unclear what the U.S. plan is. Then-President Barack Obama in 2012 used a message of acknowledgement after Putin's election to give a nod to "achievements in U.S.-Russia relations over the past three years with President Medvedev" and urge progress in a number of areas, including "Syria and missile defense."

March Moustacheness

YouTube celebrity Yury Dud' appears to be pressing Pavel Grudinin to make good on a dare that Dud' posed in February to the Communist Party nominee to shave his moustache if he fails to reach 15 percent of the vote.

Putin met with supporters and reporters late on March 18 at his campaign headquarters in Moscow after results showed his landslide victory in the first round. Putin thanked his supporters and joined their chants of "Russia!"

Putin Celebrates Victory With Supporters
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Putin Celebrates Victory With Supporters
by RFE/RL

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Financial Times led with Kremlin gloating over what it suggested was the Skripal Effect:

Vladimir Putin won re-election as Russia’s president in a landslide on Sunday that Moscow partly credited to the diplomatic storm with Britain over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal.

“Turnout is higher than we expected, by about 8-10 per cent, for which we must say thanks to Great Britain,” said Andrei Kondrashov, Mr Putin’s campaign spokesman, as preliminary results suggested Mr Putin had won 75.6 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s presidential election.

“We were pressured exactly at the moment when we needed to mobilise [voters]. Whenever Russia is accused of something indiscriminately and without any evidence, the Russian people unite around the centre of power. And the centre of power is certainly Putin today,” Mr Kondrashov said at a victory party for the president’s campaign.

Current Time TV offers a look at the Russian election in two maps, comparing turnout and Putin/Medvedev support over past elections.

As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.

Electing Not To Care: What Russians Were Doing When They Weren't Voting

A daydreaming storekeeper. With the reelection of Vladimir Putin virtually a foregone conclusion, Markov says this Sunday was much like any other day in Pskov. 
1/15 A daydreaming storekeeper. With the reelection of Vladimir Putin virtually a foregone conclusion, Markov says this Sunday was much like any other day in Pskov. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
The biggest buzz in town was a celebration and fair marking the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. 
2/15 The biggest buzz in town was a celebration and fair marking the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
A customer tries on a hat at the fair. 
3/15 A customer tries on a hat at the fair. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
A soft toy with a serious case of bear-spreading, and an early visitor to the Crimea festivities
4/15 A soft toy with a serious case of bear-spreading, and an early visitor to the Crimea festivities
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
Crunchy snow, and youngsters in costume, ready to celebrate Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.
5/15 Crunchy snow, and youngsters in costume, ready to celebrate Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
A basket seller in the town center. Photographer Dmitry Markov says most people he spoke to were Putin supporters. 
6/15 A basket seller in the town center. Photographer Dmitry Markov says most people he spoke to were Putin supporters. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
A woman sneaks a puff of her cigarette while watching over her souvenir stall. 
7/15 A woman sneaks a puff of her cigarette while watching over her souvenir stall. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
An elderly woman soaking up the sunshine
8/15 An elderly woman soaking up the sunshine
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
Markov headed out to the outskirts of Pskov...
9/15 Markov headed out to the outskirts of Pskov...
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
... where he snapped kids goofing around near their home. 
10/15 ... where he snapped kids goofing around near their home. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
And friends heaving a broken-down car into a parking spot. 
11/15 And friends heaving a broken-down car into a parking spot. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
A group of friends settles in to discuss the election over vodka, juice, and fried breadsticks. 
12/15 A group of friends settles in to discuss the election over vodka, juice, and fried breadsticks. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
These dogs were two of the most excited characters Markov says he met on election day.
13/15 These dogs were two of the most excited characters Markov says he met on election day.
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
Inside a city bus. Markov says the bright spring weather played a large part in election turnout in the town. 
14/15 Inside a city bus. Markov says the bright spring weather played a large part in election turnout in the town. 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
A grandfather rocking a rocking horse. Markov told RFE/RL: "I think the bright sun affected the turnout more than any propaganda on the TV." 
15/15 A grandfather rocking a rocking horse. Markov told RFE/RL: "I think the bright sun affected the turnout more than any propaganda on the TV." 
As media in Russia's big cities trained their lenses on voters and ballot boxes, photographer Dmitry Markov took a stroll through the sunshine in the small town of Pskov in the country's west to see what else was going on.
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OSCE Mission Says Russian Presidential Election Lacked 'Genuine Competition'

By RFE/RL

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says Russia’s presidential election lacked “genuine competition” with voters having no real choice in the vote.

"Restrictions on the fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression...have limited the space for political engagement and resulted in a lack of genuine competition," Michael Georg Link, Special Coordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission in Russia for the vote told reporters at a news conference on March 19.

With 99.8 percent of the ballots counted, incumbent President Vladimir Putin had 76.7 percent of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission.

Link said the OSCE mission felt the election was orderly and run “efficiently” by the Commission.

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