On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that previous U.S. elections had been rigged through the use of postal voting.
“In the United States, previous elections were falsified through postal voting … they bought ballots for $10, filled them out, and threw them into mailboxes without any supervision from observers, and that’s it,” Putin said, without providing evidence, Reuters reported.
Putin has decided to extend his firm control over Russia for at least another six years, as he announced his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election in March. It is highly likely that he will secure victory in the election.
Despite being in power for nearly a quarter-century, Putin continues to enjoy substantial support, even in the face of significant challenges. This includes initiating a costly war in Ukraine resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, triggering repeated attacks within Russia, including one on the Kremlin, and eroding the country’s perception of invincibility.
In June, a brief uprising led by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin sparked speculation about Putin’s potential loss of control, but he emerged unscathed, dispelling concerns of a weakening grip. Prigozhin’s subsequent death in a mysterious plane crash two months later further solidified the perception that Putin maintains absolute control.
