This is cnn Breaking News good morning made, this sunday and have recovered and we begin with this Breaking News moments ago in russia, the last polls closed following a threeday president ial election. With no genuine opposition candidates appearing on the ballot. The outcome was never in doubt. Vladimir putin is expected to win the vote that will keep his grip on power through 2030. He has already, as russias longestserving ruler since soviet dictator joseph stalin, weve got full coverage for you. Cnns Matthew Chance is in moscow and Fred Pleitgen is in berlin. Matthew, you first despite the lack of opposition, there were there any acts of defiance today were yet to happen. In fact, of the course of the past three days when voting has been taking place has been a surprisingly high level of acts of defiance, disruption at Polling Stations, and things like that. Youve got to remember, russia is a country where public displays of dissent and criticism of the kremlin cant have extremely serious consequences for individuals or groups. And so to see sort of public expressions like this Out In The Street during an election period is highly unusual. Another flash of defiance in russias president ial vote. The opposition called this midday against putin supporters gathering at Polling Stations across the country in a show of solidarity its what alexey navalny, russias late Opposition Leader, had urged before he suddenly dont well, the russian Authorities Say that anyone who attends an unauthorized protest will be dealt with severely, but you can see its just after 12 00 here in moscow. And a lot of people have turned out at this one Polling Station to cast their ballots its not a protest, but it isnt indication of just how many people here are heeding Alexey Navalnys call why do you come now to cast your vote . Because they come to an end. He wanted to see all these people come together and say each other inperson. Why did, why sides come now at 12 00 know why . I think everyone to stay in this queue, know why three days russians have been voting in an election which President Putin was always certain to win scattered Accident Disruption of exposed division in several Polling Stations, die was poured into ballot boxes to ruin paper votes already cast across russia and number of Voting Centers were hit with Arson Attacks but officials insist these deeply flawed president ial elections in which the opposition wasnt even allowed to stand were free and fair in your logo. In compared to the last president ial vote in 2018, received one half as many complaints. Washes, Chief Human Rights commissioner tells state television, we his leg. I dont remember such active its deeply monitored elections here but the defiance of some russians has also been exceptional simmering discontent in the kremlins tightly controlled russia roughly boiling up to the surface well, fred, none of that defiance though, is likely to have much of an impact on the final result. As you said, the voting is like come to an end to across russia it is turnout figures suggest its well over 73 , which would be extremely high in the central election commission, are expected to give their preliminary results and its a bit of a cliffhanger its going to be Vladimir Putin within the next hour or so back to you all right. And matthew, as the election is taking place, there, there have also been constant Ukrainian Drone attacks. Can you tell us about that . Yeah the half been and this has been something thats been taking place in the background as this election carries on. And it is a stark reminder to people in russia of that brutal war, which russia calls its special Military Operation Taking place in neighboring ukraine. Because over the past couple of days in putting there have been multiple drone strikes aimed at russian Oil Facilities from ukraine inside russian territory. And there are dramatic images of some of those Oil Refineries in flames. And so its obviously done significant damage to that sort of infrastructure. Theres also been crossborder raids by ukraine base east russia, and militias from ukraine into russian territory as actually russian territory is being attacked on the ground as well. So again, all that serving as a backdrop of violent backdrop as these are these poles now close in russia for a president ial election, which Vladimir Putin is certainly to win. All right, Matthew Chance in moscow. Thank you so much. Lets turn now to Fred Pleitgen in berlin. So fred, the widow of late Opposition Leader alexey navalny, was among the large crowds who voted remotely there in germany. What can you tell us about that . Either fredricka large crowds is certainly correct. I mean, a lot of the things that matthew was unable to see there in russia because obviously the people theyre forced to be quite subdued and open criticism of course, is something that can get you to trouble very quickly, not so on the streets of berlin and certainly in the area around the Russian Embassy where of course the voting takes place for the russian president ial election. There was a big protest that took place there, but there were also huge crowds that apparently, many of which took part against in that midday against putin the action that the russian opposition had called for yulia navalnaya, the widow of alexei navalny, was indeed among the crowd and vote voted in the president ial election inside the Russian Embassy, she stood in line for it. Rca for five hours because there were so many other people who took part in that action, but also other russians who wanted to vote. And theyre really pretty remarkable scenes. There were some people who came out in with antiwar signs. There was one lady who came to vote and stood in line for phi out five hours and a blue coat with yellow writing that said stand with ukraine on it, and then went into the Russian Embassy to vote. So a completely different picture than what were seeing inside russia. Yulia navalnaya, after she was inside the embassy to vote she came out and she said that she had written the last name and navalny on the ballot because she obviously believes as she put it at the real Opposition Leader is not on the ballot, that being her late husband, Alexey Navalnys, xi also called Vladimir Putin, a gangster as she came out. But again, there were a lot of protests that took place outside of the Russian Embassy as well. I was able to speak with one of the Opposition Leaders, me kind of hard a cough, ski, and heres what he had to say well, not seeking. We have the only opportunity to show by going to the Polling Stations at the same time that those who oppose putin and those who opposed the war. We are the majority and this is important inside russia. Its important for those russians who are in other countries today, because putins propaganda is trying to convince including western Public Opinion that all russians are favorable for war. All russians are in favor. Putin. And the propaganda is trying to build a barricaded where all russians will be on one side id in the rest of the world will be on the other side. Yes. Sub noise again, yulia navalnaya, though the most prominent among the russian opposition activists who came today to berlin to casts her ballot. She was cheered on actually enlarge parts as she was waiting by the crowd, a lot of people chanting, yulia we are with you, fredreka, very powerful statements. All right, Fred Pleitgen in berlin. Thanks so much. Lets bring in now joy new meyers. Shes a journalist and historian of russia and eastern europe, joy, great to see you. So i wonder, you know, as we saw in matthews piece, there were acts of defiance. Can you give us an idea what happens to the people who are calling . But in such acts of defiance, putting dye in the Voting Ballot Box or lighting fire thanks for having me, fredreka. Well, there are serious consequences for anyone who dares to openly defy the russian state right now. They have laws that criminalize discrediting the russian army, quote unquote, or spreading disinformation are fake news and initial offenses can be a very severe, fine, and repeated offenses. And sometimes first offenses can result in various significant jail time. Weve seen people get anything from one to seven and beyond years for really any lowlevel difference at this point. Okay. Theres a presumed outcome, right from these elections, weber so what is the purpose of these elections in the first place its an excellent question because, why should a dictator have elections at all . But its very important for putins administration. Two to create a spectacle of legitimacy, to convince russians that everyone supports him. So theres no point in trying to oppose him. And that there really is no future russia without putin unfortunately, this narrative does seem to be convincing to some extent, to a lot of russians who either actively support him were, are simply designed to his continued presidency into the indefinite future is there anybody who had paint a picture of what the future will look like with new term. Is it the same old thing that weve seen from a Vladimir Putin . Or is he embolden to bring Something Different to his leadership . This go round well, theres certainly no sign that he has any plans of backing down from the war in ukraine. Russia has vastly increased its Military Spending and the Russian Elites are all pretty much in line behind putin so we would certainly expect that he would try keep trying to extract maximum territorial gains from ukraine, while also creating partnerships with china, india, other countries outside of the eu, United States, orbit. And on the domestic front course, he will keep crackdown on any signs of opposition. There is some concern that especially if donald trump is elected in the us, that putin might indeed feel emboldened to attack other countries in eastern europe, such as poland or the baltics. Now, attacking a country thats a member of mayo would be a much bigger gamble for putin than attacking ukraine, which was much more vulnerable. In order to do it, he would need to do another Mass Mobilization which the russian state tried to do in fall 2022. It was hugely unpopular. There were the biggest protests since the fullscale invasion began. So again, to attend any kind of broader invasion in europe at this point, would be a huge gamble for the kremlin. And then finally, i want to talk to you about something you wrote recently in the New York Times that putin is also using arts and culture to further his goals to what capacity well, the russian state is pouring a lot of resources into something called Z Culture In Support of the war, its named after the letter thats written on russian tanks in ukraine. And it can this of rap songs, pop songs, even a rock opera. Theres movies, pretty much anything you can think of. And the message of all of this stuff is that russia is once again fighting the nazis in world war ii. Only this time the nazis are ukraine and the collective degraded west that backs it do i knew meyer thank you so much. Great to see you thank you. All right. 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