Leaked Document Sheds Light on Kremlin Election Strategy

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A leaked document unveiled details about the Kremlin’s strategy to manage Russia’s elections. It was revealed that the Astrakhan Natural-Gas-Processing Plant handed out leaflets to its workers with instructions on how to vote in the upcoming presidential election from March 15-17. The plant’s 5,000 employees are set to receive text messages containing a link to open at the polling station, which will geolocate their phones and confirm their voting to the company management.

Geolocation Comes Into Play

The use of geolocation software to track voter turnout is a new development in this year’s election. The ruling United Russia party has initiated a project named GEO-SMS, aiming to control the turnout of state-sector voters, including medical workers, teachers, and state enterprise employees according to the independent election-monitoring group Golos.

Aiming for a Fifth Term

Long-standing President Vladimir Putin is expected to secure a fifth term in office in this election. The geolocation software plays a pivotal role in the Kremlin’s election strategy.

Leaked Document Details

The leaked document, posted on the Telegram channel by opposition politician Olga Sidelnikova, appears to be a presentation of the Kremlin’s election strategy for Udmurtia, a central region with nearly 1.5 million residents. The 38-page presentation provides a glimpse into the state of elections in Russia. Sidelnikova, a former administrative head of Moscow’s Lomonosov district currently residing abroad, refrained from disclosing how she obtained the document but vouched for its authenticity.

The Story Repeats

Sidelnikova highlighted that the Astrakhan report and similar information from across the country suggest that the situation could be the same in other regions of Russia.