Several cyber attacks

Ukrainian hackers paralyze digital election system

The controversial election in Russia will continue until Sunday.(Bild: AFP or licensors)

Ukrainian hackers have apparently attacked the computerized election system in Russia. The service could no longer be reached. The Putin party "United Russia" also reported an attack.

"The website of the Russian authorities has crashed. The election system has crashed," intelligence circles in Kiev told the Ukrinform news agency on Saturday. Secret service hackers were able to bypass all security systems. "This will continue until the end of the vote."

In addition, attacks on the presence of the Kremlin party "United Russia" are being carried out, the Ukrainian secret service representative said. The Russian ruling party, which was once friends with the FPÖ, had previously reported a hacker attack. According to the report, the online presence of United Russia was paralyzed by a denial of service attack. All non-essential services were shut down.

Putin wants to cement his power
The election entered the second of three voting days on Saturday. It had already begun on Friday, which was seen as an attempt by the Kremlin to force working people to vote via their superiors. Electronic voting, which was possible for the first time, was also seen as a gateway for manipulation. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin also cast his vote from his office using a computer.

Putin had a picture of his vote distributed.(Bild: Sputnik)

After almost a quarter of a century in power, Putin wants to use the vote to secure a fifth term in office for the next six years. According to the electoral administration, more than 100 million people in the world's largest country are called upon to cast their vote. Spread across eleven time zones, the vote will run until Sunday evening at 7pm.

The opposition is excluded from the election and the three other approved candidates are politically in line with the Kremlin. Nevertheless, the Russian authorities are nervously monitoring how two years of aggressive war against Ukraine and domestic repression will affect the approval rating for Putin.

The controversial election in Russia will continue until Sunday.(Bild: AFP or licensors)

Kremlin wants high voter turnout
According to reports, pressure is being exerted on state employees and other voters dependent on public money in order to drive up voter turnout. On the first day of voting on Friday, protesters emptied paint into ballot boxes in several places in order to invalidate ballot papers.