Russian emigrants protest controlled elections in Vilnius

LRT reported that around 20 Russian emigrants gathered in Vilnius on Sunday to protest against the war and alleged election fraud as Russia held tightly controlled State Duma elections.

The protest took place in Boris Nemtsov Square on the final day of voting. Slogans included “For peace, for freedom, for Yabloko,” “Peaceful Russia” and “Choose peace.”

Some participants brought apples and handed them out to those attending as a show of support for Yabloko, a party excluded from the elections.

Organisers said the election result was essentially predetermined. They expect United Russia to retain its constitutional majority and the Kremlin to continue controlling parliament. Protesters urged people to use the vote as a form of protest by voting for any political force other than United Russia.

Russian citizens living in Lithuania can vote at the Russian Embassy. The diplomatic mission announced that voting would be held but did not provide the polling station’s address. The street where the embassy is located was previously renamed Heroes of Ukraine Street by the Vilnius authorities.

Alexander Morozov, a senior researcher at the NESTE Centre, told LRT.lt that he viewed the participation of Russians living abroad in the vote critically. He said it did not give voters any way to monitor the results and could create additional risks for them.

“You go to the consulate and your passport details are recorded. In addition, Russian special services have the opportunity to film everyone entering the consulate. In return, the person gets nothing, because there is no possibility of monitoring the counting of votes and there cannot be one,” Morozov said.

Speakers at the Vilnius rally called on voters to support any political force except United Russia, arguing that the ruling party’s monopolised majority allowed decisions related to continuing the war to be adopted without significant obstacles.

“At 12 o’clock, we will join the queue to vote against United Russia, against the crooks and thieves, against those fuelling the war, and for a peaceful Russia. How to do that is for each person to decide,” one of the organisers said.

Among the participants was 17-year-old Olya, who moved to Lithuania from Moscow three years ago. Unable to vote because of her age, she brought apples to symbolically support the protest.

Olya said she got the idea after seeing photographs from court proceedings involving Yabloko, where the party’s supporters also handed out apples. “I saw that during the court case concerning Yabloko, people were handing out apples in the street, and I decided it was a good idea. Besides, I am a minor and cannot vote, so this is a way for me to express my opinion,” she said.

She said she was firmly opposed to the war and the policies of the Russian authorities. “What is happening now is terrible. I am against the war and against Putin. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do yet,” she said, adding that her father is involved in politics in Russia and has been designated an extremist and labelled a foreign agent four times.

Another participant, who also left Moscow after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, held a sign reading “Choose peace.” “I think people should not be killed. We vote for peace, because peace is good,” she said.