President Vladimir Putin today addressed Russians in a televised address, urging them to vote in the elections for the renewal of the State Duma (the lower house of parliament).
"Your choice will demonstrate once again that millions of people stand alongside our fighters, that we are a united people, united by shared values, historical memory and love for the homeland, and that no one will be able to divide or intimidate us ," Putin was quoted by Ria Novosti in his three-minute speech.
The elections are scheduled for Friday through Sunday. The president's speech preceding them is now a tradition, but this is the first legislative vote since the conflict in Ukraine began in 2022.
For the first time, Putin stressed, voting will also take place in what Moscow calls the 'new regions', the four partially occupied by Russian troops in Ukraine and officially annexed by the Russian Federation after referendums held in September four years ago.
"Our great country is going through a significant, in many ways decisive, election campaign," the president said, asserting that participation in the elections is a contribution to the victory of the troops on the ground and expressing his conviction that true patriots will emerge from the polls.
"This," he added, "will be our common response to those who want to weaken Russia, slow its development, and deprive us of our sovereignty and the right to independently determine our own destiny."
(Unioneonline)
