Alexei Navalny’s widow joins ‘Noon Against Putin’ protest in Berlin as Russians across world turn out at polling stations to spoil their ballots, with president set to win fifth term in power

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, took part in a noon protest against President Vladimir Putin on Sunday in Berlin.

Navalnaya’s spokesperson Kira Yarmysh posted pictures on X of dissident standing in line in the German capital where Russians queued up to vote. Activists said that some people chanted ‘Yulia, Yulia’, and clapped.

Votes from Russian citizens living in other countries were being cast across the world.

In the UK, scores of people queued up outside the Russian Embassy in London to vote in the election. 

Sky News reported that at least 200 were expected to protest outside the building, in Kensington, today. 

One protestor in Paris held a sign that accused the despot of being an assassin

At least 200 people are expected to be protesting the election today 

Russian residents in Portugal stand in line outside Russia’s Embassy to vote on the last day of Russia’s presidential election

One young person told the outlet that she had queued outside the embassy for an hour to vote. 

‘I spoiled my ballot. At least the government will know they don’t have our support. While Putin is leader I will not go back to Russia but I hope to go back when Russia is free.’

Another said: ‘We are here to show unity and solidarity to show that there are many people living here who do not support Putin.’

Over in Paris, a large queue of people was seen outside the Russian embassy, while protestors were seen in nearby green spaces holding signs up with messages critical of Putin written on them. 

One protestor held a sign that accused the despot of being an assassin, while another compared Putin to Stalin, and called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ‘genocide’ and ‘terrorism.’ 

Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late Kremlin opposition leader Alexei Navalny, talks to a woman during a rally near the Russian embassy in Berlin

People attend a rally in Berlin, near the Russian embassy where voters lined up to cast their ballots in the Russia’s presidential election

In Russia itself, the main vehicle of protest across the nation has been the ‘Noon against Putin’ movement. 

Thousands across the nation who oppose the veteran Kremlin leader went to their local polling station at midday to either spoil their ballot paper in protest or to vote for one of the three candidates standing against Putin.

Others had vowed to scrawl the name of late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died last month in an Arctic prison, on their ballot paper.

Navalny’s allies broadcast videos on YouTube of lines of people queuing up at different polling stations across Russia at midday who they said were there to peacefully protest.

Navalny had endorsed the ‘Noon against Putin’ plan in a message on social media facilitated by his lawyers before he died. The independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper called the planned action ‘Navalny’s political testament’.

Navalny’s allies broadcast videos on YouTube of lines of people queuing up at different polling stations across Russia at midday

The Kremlin casts Navalny’s political allies – most of whom are based outside Russia – as dangerous extremists out to destabilise the country on behalf of the West

Despite the protesters – who represent a small fraction of Russia’s 114 million voters – Putin to tighten his grip on power in the election that is certain to deliver him a big victory. 

The Kremlin casts Navalny’s political allies – most of whom are based outside Russia – as dangerous extremists out to destabilise the country on behalf of the West. 

It says Putin enjoys overwhelming support among ordinary Russians, pointing to opinion polls which put his approval rating above 80%.

With Russia’s vast landmass stretching across 11 time zones, protest voters were scattered rather than concentrated into a single mass, making it hard to estimate how many people turned up for the protest event.

The size of the queues at each polling station shown on Navalny’s channel ranged from a few dozen people to what looked like several hundred people.