Support The Moscow Times!

Kremlin: Internet Will Have 'No Decisive Role' in Russian Presidential Elections

Kremin Press Service

The Kremlin has dismissed the idea that Russia's 2018 presidential election could be waged online, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.

Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that presidential hopefuls would take to the streets rather than rely on digital media.

While online media will play a part in the election campaign, it won't have a “decisive role,” Peskov said.

“There’s so much more about our country and our people than the Internet can offer,” he said.

President Vladimir Putin is a popular favorite for the 2018 vote, despite not yet confirming his candidacy. Some 63 percent of Russians currently want Putin to remain in his post after 2018, according to a survey by the Levada Center pollster earlier this month.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more