EDITORIAL - Putin’s threat and the Russian “elections”

Following drone attacks by Ukraine during the three-day Russia presidential elections starting last Friday until yesterday, Russia President Vladimir Putin has promised to retaliate.

“These strikes by the enemy do not and will not go unpunished... This is an attempt to interfere with the presidential election,” he said on Russian television.

We would like to point out two things. First, there is nothing to “interfere” with in the Russia elections --if they can be called “elections” in the first place. Whether these so-called exercises in democracy take place or not at all, we know who will sit in the Kremlin in the end; the one who controls everything in Russia from information to police and military power.

Putin pretends as if Russia has a choice. He pretends as if his election to a fifth term isn’t yet a foregone conclusion. He pretends he is willing to just accept the results if another president is elected to replace him as leader of the Russian people.

Second, all is fair in love and war. We cannot blame Ukraine for attacking when they think Russia is most vulnerable. This includes when the Russian people go out to vote.

Russia has been attacking Ukraine’s most vulnerable targets whenever they please for two years now. They have no right to complain.

Actually, Russia has more pressing issues to attend to; the fact that many Russians themselves are sabotaging the “elections”.

As of yesterday, Russia’s Electoral Commission has reported that some 29 polling stations across 20 regions in Russia have been targeted by people who spoiled ballots either by burning them or pouring green ink --formerly used to attack opposition leaders-- into ballot boxes.

While the commission said some 214 ballot boxes had been “irretrievably damaged”, we are sure Putin need not worry about his lead.

Even with results already foregone, it’s heartening to know that some Russians are willing to risk jail time, or even worse, to fight back the only way they know how against a regime that will take Russia to further ruin.