Russia to open polling stations abroad for upcoming presidential election, including in countries deemed ‘unfriendly’ by Kremlin

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that polling stations for the upcoming presidential election will be opened in all countries where Russia maintains a diplomatic mission, including in countries deemed “unfriendly” by the Kremlin.

There will be fewer polling stations compared to previous elections in a number of countries where Russian foreign offices have been closed in recent years, said Zakharova. These include the U.S., Germany, the Czech Republic, Finland, and the Baltic states.

Zakharova added that there may be threats to voters in “unfriendly” countries on election day, “when anti-Russian rhetoric will be higher than usual.”

Russia’s list of “unfriendly countries” includes all E.U. member states, the U.S., Great Britain, Norway, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, and South Korea, among others.