Hundreds gather in Moscow to protest against alleged online election tampering

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised last week‘s parliamentary elections as ‘free and fair’

The unauthorised rally in Moscow was called by the Communist Party. Among the parliamentarians’ demands were a recount of votes cast online

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Russian Communist Party supporters attend a protest against results of the Russian Parliamentary elections in Moscow, Russia on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 3:36am, 26 Sep 2021Updated: 3:36am, 26 Sep 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised last week‘s parliamentary elections as “free and fair” on Saturday, while hundreds of people gathered in Moscow to protest against the results of the polls that were overshadowed by massive accusations of fraud.

“The elections themselves were held openly and in strict accordance with the law,” Putin said during talks with top politicians from all parties represented in the new State Duma. He pointed to the fact that a new, fifth force is now represented in the parliament with the New People party as evidence of a democratic election process.

United Russia won the vote last weekend with 49.8 per cent. The Communists came in second with 18.9 per cent; like all other parties represented in the Duma, they are considered close to the Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Sputnik / AFP / Getty Images / TNS

Opposition and independent election observers complained of numerous violations and systematic fraud.

The unauthorised rally in Moscow was called by the Communist Party. Among the parliamentarians‘ demands were a recount of votes cast online, which the opposition claims were systematically falsified.

Putin dismissed the accusations of fraud on Saturday, especially the ones about online votes, saying that reservations about electronic voting had only arisen “because someone did not like the result.”