In 2018, the Russians living abroad, gave more votes for Putinthan in the 2012 presidential election, the Washington Post reported, citing data of the Central election Commission of the Russian Federation.
So, in 29 countries of the NATO, Putin has received 129 231 votes. On the background of millions of Russians living in other countries, this number is certainly small, but compared to the 2012 figure is still significantly increased.
At a polling station opened by the Russian Embassy in Washington, vote for Putin roughly doubled from 2012 to 1531 votes.
According to analysts, these figures are a result of the increasing alienation between Russia and the West. The most significant increase in the number of votes for Vladimir Putin recorded in Germany, where the Russian Diaspora is one of the largest in the world. In 2012, for Putin voted here 10 883 Russians, that in 2018, almost three times more — 27 503 people, or 82 percent of all voters.
Election observers throughout Germany told the Washington Post, the Russians hundreds came to the polls. In remote areas, there was organized a special transport that went to a vote.
«The Russian immigrants feel uncomfortable because Russia blamed the Western media — says Yuri Eremenko — editor of the «Russian field», a portal for Russian speakers in Germany. — The fact that so many people came to the polls, is in some measure a protest response.»
Irina Revina-Hofmann, who observed the elections at the Russian Consulate in Munich on behalf of the liberal candidate Grigory Yavlinsky, said that the number of votes cast for Putin in Germany have increased so, that she even suspected fraud. «Putin’s supporters in Germany say they do not want to live in Russia. But they love Putin’s foreign policy», — said Irina Revina-Hofmann.
Since 2012, more than 2 times increased the number of votes cast for Vladimir Putin in Denmark, Italy, Hungary, France and Spain.
In this way to increase turnout for voting and the Russian government. Thus, the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation opened the polls for Russians vacationing in Thailand (it brought Putin 4 385 votes) and fighting in Syria (where Putin received 3 242 votes).
