Ivan Kurilla
A striking example to the discredit of the institution of Russian elections came from Volgograd.
A striking example to the discredit of the institution of Russian elections came from Volgograd. The preparations for Election Day, the voting process itself, and the counting of votes were all accompanied by numerous violations, as the chair of the Kennan Institute Russian Alumni Association Advisory Council and historian Ivan Kurilla wrote in his LiveJournal blog. According to Kurilla, Governor Sergei Bozhenov’s administration conducted the entire election process in true mafia-style. "The election – both the voting procedures and the counting of the ballots – was completely discredited in Volgograd," Kurilla concluded. See the full journal entry here. [In Russian]
About the Author
Ivan Kurilla
Professor, History and International Relations; Director, Department Development Partnership Program, Academic Director of the IMARES program, European University at St. Petersburg, Russia
Kennan Institute
The Kennan Institute is the premier US center for advanced research on Eurasia and the oldest and largest regional program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Kennan Institute is committed to improving American understanding of Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the surrounding region though research and exchange. Read more