Exiled Russians vote abroad to protest Putin and the Ukraine war

Russians who have fled the country voted on the final day of the State Duma election, viewing the exercise as a symbolic gesture rather than a decisive factor. In places like Berlin and Yerevan, voters such as Olga and Valery said they did not expect their ballots to alter results inside Russia, but wanted to demonstrate solidarity and opposition to President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The election, the first since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, will likely be presented by the Kremlin as evidence of popular backing for its policies, even though most anti-war candidates were barred and United Russia controls the legislature.

Hundreds of thousands of young, educated Russians have settled across former Soviet states and Europe, many still hoping for a democratic future. Protesters outside the Russian embassy in Berlin displayed signs labeling Putin a war criminal and calling for the release of jailed dissenters. While many expressed deep pessimism about Russia's trajectory, some, like Valery, clung to the belief that voting could still make a difference.