The “Noon Against Putin” initiative, supported by virtually all Russian opposition groups as well as the late Alexei Navalny, encouraged voters to go to polling stations, whether in Russia or abroad, at noon on Sunday and vote for any of the non-Putin candidates or spoil the ballot.
It contributed to a backup at the embassy in Brussels.
“Get ready to wait at least 40 minutes more. We didn’t expect that amount of people,” an embassy employee told POLITICO after people had already spent 30 minutes in the queue.
People were openly happy and inspired to come together with so many others who shared their dissenting views. Many of them were taking selfies, showing themselves in the 200-meter line.
“I have no ‘my candidates’ on the list,” said Kirill, who described himself as a Russian poet-in-exile. “Still, it is very important to get here to establish connections [with other opposition-minded Russians],” he said.
“I can see people sending photos of spoiled ballots with different mottos on them. That is very important,” said Kirill, who came to vote with his partner, child and their dog. “We’re all in a situation where we have to redefine some agendas. And I think that’s what this election is for,” he said.
