On March 17, citizens of the Russian Federation, residing temporarily or permanently in Israel, had the opportunity to participate in the Russian presidential elections.
Voting occurred at three polling stations located in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa.
Historically, such voting in Israel has seen relatively low turnout. For instance, in 2012, approximately 12 thousand valid ballots were recorded in the Russian presidential elections, while in 2018, this number was around 11 thousand.
Until noon, voter turnout today remained relatively modest. However, there was a significant influx of voters around noon, many of whom participated in the symbolic "Noon Against Putin" rally—a political statement associated with Alexei Navalny's opposition movement.
The rally, endorsed by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya, encouraged voters to gather at polling stations at noon and vote against Putin's candidacy. This act served not only as a protest but also as a tribute to Navalny, evident from the posters displayed by some Russian citizens at the polling stations.
In Tel Aviv, the line to the polling station extended for approximately half a kilometer, while in Haifa, it stretched to 700 meters by the afternoon.
Similar actions occurred today in numerous countries worldwide, including many cities in Russia itself.
