Putin Is Grateful To Russians For Responsible Choice Despite Difficulties

Vladimir Putin again thanked the citizens of Russia for their active participation in the elections to the State Duma, despite all the difficulties associated with the pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis.

There was a high turnout: over half of the country’s voters took part in the elections. "I would like to once again thank Russia’s citizens for coming to the polling stations or voting from home, or – wherever it was available – voting online, but in any case, they fulfilled their civic duty and made their responsible choice, which is critical," Putin said.

The elections were held against the backdrop of the pandemic, decreasing real incomes and instability in the global markets. Russia's major economic indicators have rebounded to the pre-crisis level only recently "but, regrettably, few of our citizens can sense this positive trend right away; they cannot feel it yet, so to say," President stressed.