Putin Urges Russians to Vote in Upcoming Presidential Election

On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin has encouraged Russian citizens to participate in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for March 15-17.

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"It is necessary to confirm our unity and determination to move forward together. Each of your votes is valuable and significant. Therefore, I urge you to exercise your right to vote in the next three days," Putin said.

"Dear friends! All of us, the multinational people of Russia, are one big family. We will do everything exactly the way we want," he added.

"I ask you to come to the elections and express your civic and patriotic position, vote for your chosen candidate, for the successful future of our beloved Russia."

In a video address aired on public television, Putin made tacit reference to the difficulties that Western countries have caused Russia in retaliation for the military operation in Ukraine.

"You realize what a difficult period our country is going through, what complex challenges we are facing on almost all fronts. And to continue to respond to them with dignity and successfully overcome difficulties, we need to continue to be united and self-confident," he stressed.

The Russian leader pointed out that the 2024 presidential election will also take place in the Crimean peninsula and in the four regions that joined the Federation in 2022, namely, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

"Our fighters at the front will also vote. They, showing courage and heroism, defended the Fatherland and, participating in the elections, set an example for all of us," Putin said, as reported by The Moscow Times.

Four candidates will vie for the top position: Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democratic Party, Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party, and Vladimir Putin, the incumbent and an independent candidate.