Russians in Serbia vote without hope

Konstantin fled Russia to avoid being drafted into the army to fight in Ukraine. But he still wants to have his voice heard in Russia’s elections later this month — even though he has no one to vote for.

Like many of the thousands of Russian exiles now living in Serbia, he remains deeply engaged with his homeland even if there is little hope that the political situation there will change anytime soon.

Broke and living in a threadbare apartment in Belgrade, life abroad has had its challenges.

But exile has given the 26-year-old political breathing space unimaginable back home.

“In Russia you will be arrested for anything,” he said.

“It’s not a question, it’s a strong fact,” he told AFP.

– ‘Authoritarian elections’ –

With anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin disqualified, Konstantin said he planned to cast a blank ballot in protest.

“These elections are not democratic elections. They are authoritarian elections,” he said.

Millions of Russians living abroad are eligible to vote in the poll, largely viewed as a rubber stamp for Russian President Vladimir Putin to tighten his grip on power.

Voting is being held in countries where Moscow has diplomatic missions — including states it considers “unfriendly”.

Around 280 polling stations will be open in some 140 territories, according to the Central Election Commission’s website.

Most will be open during the same three-day period as back in Russia — from March 15 to 17 — while some embassies will provide the opportunity for early voting, according to the TASS news agency.

“It’s my civil obligation,” said Viktor, a 35-year-old Russian living in Novi Sad, north of Belgrade. “I will vote for anybody but Putin.”

– ‘Stay on the street’ –

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, tens of thousands of Russians have settled in Serbia, where the community has largely flourished.

Some have opened restaurants or started tech companies and other businesses, making a noticeable and buzzy impact on the Serbian capital.

Serbia has also offered room for political activists still angling to remain relevant in Russia.

In recent weeks Russian expats have organised protests against the war in Ukraine, held memorial ceremonies following the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and petitioned for Nadezhdin’s candidacy.

“Here we have an opportunity to stay on the street and say the things we say to you today,” Ksenia Kuznetsova, a 33-year-old Russian, told AFP on the sidelines of an anti-war protest.

“All of my friends, all of my…