the the just the one, the power to go now on sale, the polls closed and brushes at for several, 3 days. presidential election. it is a beautiful scene. it's here in central moscow, but are for russia's 11 time zone. people have been going through this whole, this there drove today. they have as of now we know that the ton out of this is 73 percent already the policy, the last presidential vote in 2018 posting stations. i've been really just for an hour also. so they are racing to get but just in time, preliminary results will talk trickling in just off to that while the russian city

of felt the road has been attacked for the 2nd time today. as a teenage girl is killed in the earlier strike, local, save it, dangers will not turn them from voting in vic lunmark election. considering the tense situation, the feeling of fear was still present. today i gathered all my civic responsibility, courage, perseverance, and pride in russia into a fist who came to the pony. the well like union said, we are in moscow. red square is behind us to close the very heart of this enormous country on his couples. i would imagine and have seen the souls of many, many the does over the century. so really that was normal fishing place to talk about the results of the 2024 russian presidential election. my name's cassandra,

and i'm joined in the studio by union o'neill. well, let's talk some statistics. what we know is that baton out is around 73 percent, which means that over $80000000.00, i mean that's the norm. as considering the spot, a 112 at the moment they both turned up. they've had ample opportunities. they've been able to vote online, they've also been able to go to any of those tens of thousands of pilot stations posting stations that are open on across this enormous territory. in my region alone, i spoke to at least 3 and that was a q outside of one. so i'm an eye witness to the fact that there is political engagement. so yes, that is the situation at the moment. so we're going to be delving into, why about political engagement appears that really so intense in this selection, why people are going to, at the polls so much at over the last 3 days. what they are seeking from their next leader for the next 6 years as russian presents write the report,

the coming hours we'll be delving into that. but for more let us cross live now to our to correspond to charlotte. do been sky who's up. she has been for the last the number of our central electro commission headquarters. charlotte, it's many years in the making this election, and now we're down to the final, our am. what's happening, where your give us a sense of the, i suppose, the, the excitement 1st of all, but what else is going on around it? well, that's why it is really huge. you mind spun case the patient because the voting is closed in the most go region as you investigate were mentioning that union, there is still one hour though before the end of the selection. and that's because people are still voting. but in collecting glass here at the headquarters of the central electro commission, there is a huge hive of activity. the media here waiting to announce the preliminary results in about an hour's time, including myself. and in the meantime,

lots of meet you taking advantage of the free dis, just being prototyped towards fuels and for work would be a very long night's as those results come in. this has been a 3 day election and i just want to give you a sense of what we've been seeing here at the headquarters of the central election commission. just behind me is this. what we have seen as the voting was closing to the regions of the screens going great and then they've been replaced by voting elsewhere. not because these all surveillance cameras inside the places where people are booting some 50000 to move these of being in operation over the last 3 days to allow people to have a butare view of what's going on all across russia's regions where people are voting not just posting, of course, in the 11 time zones that russia has as expansive country, but also people have been voting in embassies around the world. russian citizens

making the voices heard in this election is also uh, being uh, people voting electronically. they've been able to register for that since january, if they see it. and that apparently is a system that has been hate. we've actually heard from the chairperson of the central election commission. this is ella apartments leuva who has said that she thinks the west is behind some of the attacks that are being happening, being on the online voting system itself and listening to what she said about that . i want to say thanks to the west for uniting us to a greater extent, we realized how important it is to be together now. as they put more pressure on us, the more we fight back, we are experiencing an unprecedented level of the attacks on our online voting system. and that's about the war is now going on, not only in the conflict zone and not only with west supplied weapons, but the war is also a cyber attack. professional hackers are doing this and they're really unite into

them. so that's where the west is consolidated. but we will stand up to this pressure, so there is a boomer and lost and we wish no harm to anyone. however, that has not diminished the appetite. so people going out to vote some 150000000 russians almost were registered to vote. and we know that the 2 in that is around 73 percent. that means, or, and 18000000 people have been casting the votes over the last 3 days. and that is just incredible. and it gives you a sense of really how big this operation is. this is an election that is built many 1st as well, and these are 1st, so we'll go down in history. not only is it the 1st selection that's taking place in 3 days in a presidential election. it's the 1st presidential election since the russian constitution was amended back in 2020 and not as a lot of the incumbent president block, made preaching to run for a space term. in addition to that,

this is the 1st presidential election that is including the for nearly incorporated regions, interruption, golf course. voting has been taking place over the last 3 days. you know, we are waiting less than now to go when we should hopefully be able to give you a sense of who has won the selection. and of course, well that's fine for me to, to and that was because that really is quite important because it shows the gauge when a russian citizens in this presidential election and who potentially they want to see one of the country for the next 6 years. yeah, great through our breakdown there from charlotte to mid sky, like from the central electoral commission, as you say, less than an hour to go until everything shuts up so well as well. so charlotte did mention this is multi day 3 days. people have had the opportunity if they want to go in person, that would be from 8 am to 8 pm, which means of course, i've started also said false tower $311.00 times. and so those in the far east that

already fall off to sleep. one would hope so. well still in collision grabs most european city of this so well the biggest nation, they still have around 50 minutes. so if they want to go to the store to get the gates on. so all the far east come chuck go the line to volcanoes, the reindeer herders into called got they all done and dusted. we are just waiting for the lazy europeans, a bit more western. what we do also know, as charlotte mentioned, is that this is the 1st time that these 4 new tire trees will be voting. so for them, i imagine that this is a particularly momentous moment. they are ready costs that are in the referendum in 2022. they've voted for they called reunification with russia just as crime aided in 2014. so i, i would suspect that this feels like a historic moment for them. unfortunately, it has somewhat been mowed by a,

a tax even for the, from the front might not have not to tell them even though voting was trying to fit . that was some attempts to show the stations a take sent, turn out quite multiple. yeah, these will be breaking that down as well as you mentioned. yeah, the, the, the human cost of going i to, to vote in an election the russian city of belgrade. that's a bordering region very under fire. it's being under pressure for quite some time. it was hit twice by you printing the texturing today, some of the last day of voting. 2 people were killed. another at 12 were wounded just some details on that. what we're seeing and screen now that's a residential neighborhood. taking a direct hit a fire rough did then in a building emergency personnel rushed to the scene on hopping, removing all next loaded shells. so that is what people going out to vote for there are dealing with a teenage girl, in fact,

was among those killed one or 2 per teacher, margaret med, which i have filed this report with the latest this is the 2nd 500 dollar and 60 for the day, the thing is a goal, 16 year old girl and her father was hit by your queen and the miller was full of gold, was bound to live in her house while her father was concussion was delivered to the hospital. i'm actually in the very middle of build for the city. me around me are just residential buildings, houses right behind me. you can see flaming building. just 2 walks away. the keys in the garden is located. this is a component list of your civilian era mil military targets can be located here. the rest of them is for the defense published an amount of loss as you create inside has suffered. it's 6565 dead soldiers. and few a tourist systems. it is the so deal for us for the initial election. some people see it and those are even now on the show. and we think that the only the,

the main thing they can do is to fulfill the civic, the civic duty to bill, and to vote. nothing is on that one. got. so we'll choose the step through lots of emotions. considering the tense situation, the feeling of fear was still present. today i gathered all my civic responsibility, courage, perseverance, and pride in russia into a fist and came to the post. i filled my civic duty. it was scary to go because of the situation. i listened, there were no sirens and went to the river. i always go to the polls. i haven't missed a single vote. i decided to go because the future depends on me. i had to vote for the presidential candidate. i'm glad i did it. this is the so they are for us as presidential elections like final. they are for us print presidential elections the last day when people can vote. but despite the freight they are willing to. so if they are willing to, besides the future well,

we spoke with an election observer from the european integration department at the republic of serb scanned his views. and that of this delegation. what's that they were satisfied of the leveled up this election was being carried. let's here the remarks directly of competing with the situation before 6 years since now everything easiest. one was the same, but generally speaking, i'm really impressed. also my colleagues, uh, retorts i them, they very impressed by all a system of you'll actually see it in the russian federation. also specially with your equipment. is it the online voting what, what else up both the selection has been as being remarkable for you. yes. also the online, the, the opportunity to, to vote it's very, very important because on the, to be, you can call to say, to give everybody the chance to choose how to deal with. because every country is

the same. young people are not too interested in on electronic points, but it's easier to use internet and send their thoughts are that especially in the countries such as russia, which some parts of sol remote to you're talking about the artic levels to the far east. 11 times though is, is it may be surprising that a presidential vote such as this is taking place over 3 days for the 1st time that it hasn't happened before because it's such a big bost area for the last time before it's only one day, one day and now he says 3 days since i can understand it, you are the most, the, the biggest country in the world, and 11 time zones. it's, it's, it's not possible code to say, uh, conduct in every moment. everything, it's better to say to have 2 or 3 days for these kinds of collection period. we've

got a very high turn out a 3rd to turn out this year. why do you think to this? what do you think is the reason behind that people is more interested in politics than they used to be? yeah, but probably because you're face to be to be to huge. uh, i'm talking from my, from my point of view. they just a speech very global, also other other concept face to be, to be, to global changes. and people probably of feel that it's their duty to use these kinds of opportunity to vote and to protect themselves and also the other people in the country. their reaction to this election. it was called by a lot of western governments before the election even happened. it was dismissed, it blows cold, it's rig whatever, whatever has that disappointed to that, the reaction it, it's just going to be one way the spiked. what happens?

i would like to send one message. maybe it's better to see on the, on the, on the spots to see everything you buy. do i so not just to you was some kind of information. i know different sources because non, i'm here and i so by my eyes every, every part of the election starts and i'm really satisfied and i will tell you not only on the static but to on verify it will typical paternity to, to, to be integers. as well, we promised you a good guest sign up and we have yes. again, it deliberate, if i do say so myself, we're joined now in the studio by alex on to step enough programming director at the academy of political science. thank you very much for joining us here. i hope you don't mind the humblest soul a studio home away from home. um i do with quite a view you have to say as well. i'm the 1st thing i, i do want to ask you, i mean, we would tools and you know, was talking about the attacks on build roads. we've also seen on the new

territories showing by the ukrainian forces, but also much farther away from the front lines cost you all good, just 2 examples. i mean, what's the goal here because minute terribly, that obviously not going to undermine most goes triple efforts. is it simply to unsettle people, i think uh, the main thing is so that they want to make more psychological effect. and surely another one to destabilize this tension on the front line, and then the region that situated near the grinding rushing of green border. but as a result, the don't have nothing because we can see that people understand that these very important event, electrical pro says during a few days, they're kept on this tent. that's now their decide in the future of our country. and surely they read it and then we can see this, the pieces of the uh balls. and surely we can see that everyone understands the

importance of this moment. but surely, if we are talking and analyze the situation of those effects, it's a terrorism, terrorism on the state level and terrorism backed by the nato countries. because surely it was bland. it was uh, very little one step operation because we could see it not on that tax, on this regional spot to replace in the regions on those offices or using molotov cocktails. each terrorist, nothing. we truly understand that it's a system. it was controlled and it was control surely by the what some countries, intelligence agencies, uh, and the main goal was to disability. and to surely make these elections as

a danger for the people who are watching by the don't have the results. well, it's the very opposite of that results because we've seen some of the polling numbers, the sheer amount of your people in those new regions who have said we want to hover, say they're coming out in the, in the 90 percent percentile. and so in some areas, it's quite incredible, that's the spike shells going over their head. they're saying we're going to vote and we're going to do it whether you show us or not. surely, no, right now we can see that uh, those new regions in bold, russian federation is united uh at the highest level because we understand that right now, we are in wolf, in the serious conflict that was inspired by us. it wasn't flash hulu by the nato countries and those new regions now and we'll denture every day, they are under attack. and according to the goals of special military operation, we want to stop those attacks. and surely, people who live there every day,

as you mentioned, they feel all this shows that they're coming to their houses. and frankly speaking, we have injures every day. but we understand that unites and, and making the decisions brought the decision. it doesn't depend on the candidate but the unites the nation in those region and understand that the main goal is to protect our solar energy. santoyo russian federation is the main goal, and i think it will be up to you as soon as both can. we just ask you a question to run the new regions because it's all very well having on at 4 areas with the population. but then you, you have to integrate them into the russian federation. so you've got people are running the country, thinking is this, is this what we want? is this what the volt today is partly at by people across russia saying you're, you're accepted as one of us. now, that's why we're seeing such a high turn. i perhaps know, surely we can say that those,

the 1st time elections that or country within your region is organizing right now that very important to understand that this region are integrated in the russian territory. but frankly speaking, uh, as far as i understand, it was russian territory. it was russian, people living there and those attacks. and the, there's no difference right now because of this new toyota terrace, have all the social guarantees, all the economical influence, all our political center. and the on and wolf and all of the process is a russian for duration. so they are taking button this very important event. and surely they will be integrated more and more, and go back to it as a restaurant to duration. if i could ask just a question specifically about the policies, cuz obviously we talked a lot about not i'm at 210, and i imagine that the throughout the con to that thing, hang on guys, i'm still around and i obviously understand why boots and dominates especially international disclosed on just put 2 buttons about doesn't call on the new people

policy because he's an interesting character, isn't he? he came out and he comes from a party to initially a post the referendum in the, in the september 2022 of those new regions. do you think we're going to see perhaps young electorate who doesn't necessarily agree with the military operation? do you think we're going to see them driving up the new people's numbers? what do you think? uh, i'm not a political ex parte about the sure lack of my opinion. and i think that to rec, candidate cabinets on electro rate. habits on auditory, but may be a yes, so there can be some changes between the age of the people who participate on the cool one toward for one of the candidates. but i think what you and i told candidates that they actually want to live in russia without the control of 4 other countries in the independent states with the sovereignty and with its own

roots of the development and of that's why our president, the put in, comes trulia the most, all kind of influence, because we are now but dissipating in the contract and you will order and you multiple or multiple world. and that's what he is saying. and that's what unites us . so with our allies in breaks, which will lead this, he and it's very important to you and we have to understand that this selection used bought over all these very important a world wide process. when we understand that we can, uh, and they had the money of the western countries and or 1st of all of nate on united states. uh so i think this is the main thing uh we show people fargo into the pools and allies and understand the future. developmental the situation where we very much appreciate you coming on sharing orders, your insights,

always great to have your opinion. that was, i just want to step on off of course director at the academy of political science. thank you so much. 600. thanks so much and just for all exams or was talking but there he was going at through one of the candidates define cough also of course loving or putting their to others who are hoping for a big result today. let's just go through them at who is looking for to be honest, what, who are looking for 2nd spot, you know, but we have, of course, we'll have a little bit put in there who is that overwhelming favorite to take talked about, but at least off the bunk off of the people's part, he's a veteran russian business month. and then, as mentioned, we have leaving it slootsky, who leads the liberal democratic party, was previously the country's own boy to the parliamentary assembly of the time, so of at europe, and takes over or after another long term leader of his party at died during cobit times. in fact, nichol, i hardly told us, by the way,

from russia's enduringly popular communist tarts. you know, he's there too. it's, it's just interesting. south sky isn't it that you have that the communist party who have historically finish 2nd to what ever a party problem or put and he was standing with he's an independent told him we're putting this time around. but the communist party, they, they are other cross roads here are they because you have the, the other party seeking to make inroads? so the communist, they are going to be seeking a solid showing here after not a great one last time, our 2018. and i think also just one thing i will say about the company says, traditionally they've been popular amongst the elderly electorate beds that kind of tends to with in the style chart was watching that tv ad recently. and it was here tunnel if he was going on to red square and it kind of turned into a utopia that we'll, we'll wells drilling that was gold and crops. that was the soviet flag flying above the kremlin. but you and i were talking about how such and what they would say last

ideas, all gaining ground, not just in boston, but all around the world. obviously, traditionally amongst academics amongst the student costs as well. so it'll be interesting to see whether that's reflected, especially as we're seeing, obviously very difficult economic times probably about traditionally has boosted support for communists, which of course, offer a slightly different future. not so dependent on cap to the sweat. yeah, well you can see why it's popular. you look at what he's saying. first of all, the motto is we tried capitalism. we've had enough, but it's about a progressive at tech, still abolishing taxes for low income citizens lowering the retirement age. and this is all something that a large amount of people would, would want to get behind, you know, especially the tax level. they might be saying, well, yeah, maybe the rich aren't text as much because there is a, a base level here. everybody is taxed the same. so maybe some of these,

even if he doesn't win, you know, whoever kicks the presidential spot will have to maybe if it's a good enough result, take some of what he's saying into consideration before we also joined all correspond to the different agencies. i, i do think one thing that will be interesting is, like you said, traditionally the communist party takes 2nd place. i think we might be in for a bit of a surprise. i mean, famous last words. i mean, i'm going to, how would you thought i knew it? all right. have to rewind fill my. i just admit that i was wrong, but doesn't close. he might be adult who's here. he's younger, he's got a background of business. he's tried his hand to pull the 60 round for the most. come at. okay. he didn't win, but he still threw in his hat. and like i was saying to alex on to, he tried to appeal to the younger electra who has reservations about the war in ukraine. no society is homogenous. there are people who don't support it. that is not true. and i think he was trying to get to them as well. so that will be very

interesting whether because her tone, of course, he's older. yeah. he's in his mid seventies. don't cough around 40 years old. i think, i think those 2, we might be in for a surprise. well, let's, i don't want me to. i'm going to tell you, say the correspondents are waiving, let's speak to them about that very point. you were saying south gate we can speak to. archie corresponded at shay, but was i believe he's currently in? mr. devine coughs. electro. the headquarters in moscow? she. i'm not sure if you, you heard what soft you was seeing there, but there is a high degree of anticipation, i suppose there that he could at book the trend, the previous elections. i'm finished with both more more established figures more established party such as the communist, such as l d, p r. m. would not be deemed an absolute success for at the fourty roll. the youngest comes is that well, you didn't, did. this is a very important point to think. it doesn't cost remember,

has spent most of this life outside of the soviet you anywhere. you owe their candidates and maybe spend most of love with it. he would have been a 10 years old or around that age when the soviet union cease to exist. so the on call represents a new entrepreneurial class. a represents the free economy. he represents a dynamo class of people who want to drive bushes development and are really focus on a capital disclosure. of course, the economy just an arch focus on a carpet disclosure. and so this is the interesting side race, of course, of the evening. and i actually got a chance to speak to a lot of slides about calls. about 10 minutes ago i called him on the stairs. he passed me by and i asked him, i said to him, and how important is it that people like you and people that the people you represent the challenge, the existing order in russian politics if you like. and his response was very

interesting. he said that, yeah, our expectations aren't really, you know, boss, all we want to do is make sure that we blow some fresh air through the stuffing us russian politics as we see if that we represent people the task. yes, it may have a different view to the more established political leviathan's and of course got him and put in as a political brand is exceptionally popular here in russia. and it's very difficult sometimes for people to the west to understand that his huge popularity ratings are not the norm in the west. but here he is an exceptionally popular man. that's a challenge. him takes a lot of resources. it takes a lot of energy and cough shows that energy he's, he's a quick off the mark, c sharp, he's young and he definitely represents something different. tier assess, keeps it. so it's really want to watch of the i think definitely that might be the surprise that we might be waiting for. that was the shapers. important to us from southern coast. h. keith,

we're going to bring in. uh now steve sweeney. i mean, lynn, it's slootsky. oh, the posse pulling around 3 full percent. i mean, what's the vibe that do they think the by going to get a foot 10 on generally what? what's the atmosphere? have you heard anything? well, yes, that's why we're here in the headquarters of unit slootsky. have in the russian capital most go in the 3rd and final day of poland. now we've seen a slootsky, he's address the median. he's addressed is activist, and he's spoken about whose campaign he is. he said he's very happy with how he's comp time went, and the support that he's getting along the way in the mood him is, is very bullying and i'll be he's will post us here and given away even a smile to the all t a crew. now of course, this is a 1st election, the liberal democrat party you have run without that former.