Russians Go to the Polls to Pick a New President

MOSCOW â€”  Against a backdrop of rising nationalism and lingering economic hardship, Russian voters head to the polls today to elect a president for the second time since the collapse of communism in 1991.

After a six-week campaign most notable for the effectiveness of the Kremlin propaganda machine, voters in large numbers are expected to cast their ballots for a retired KGB colonel: acting President Vladimir V. Putin.

Putin, who promises to restore order in Russia, is expected to outdistance the other 10 candidates in a vote that appears less an exercise in democracy than a Soviet-style ratification of the candidate chosen by the power elite.

The only suspense is whether Putin will receive the majority needed to win the presidency outright or be forced into an April 16 runoff against the second-place finisher, who is expected to be Communist Party leader Gennady A. Zyuganov.

Either way, there is little doubt that Putin, who spent 16 years as a KGB spy, will prevail and formally take charge of a vast, beleaguered nation whose nuclear arsenal rivals that of the United States.

Putin, whose name was not even mentioned in presidential polls until eight months ago, soared in popularity as he led Russia into a brutal war against Islamic rebels in the separatist republic of Chechnya. Named prime minister in August, he became acting president on Dec. 31 when President Boris N. Yeltsin, ailing and ineffective, abruptly resigned.

“The fact that almost the entire Russian society has unanimously supported the transfer of power to Putin--a once-obscure KGB officer--is clearly the result of the crushing defeat that the reforms launched by Yeltsin have suffered,� said liberal Duma Deputy Sergei V. Ivanenko. “Yeltsin’s task was to dismantle communism and ensure freedom of speech. And even these tasks, not to mention any democratic changes in the society, have not been fulfilled.�

Putin, 47, once a loyal servant of the Communist state whose grandfather was a cook for dictator Josef Stalin, has pledged to reestablish Russia’s greatness on the world stage. He stands for order and discipline--two characteristics in short supply during the Yeltsin era of freewheeling privatization and bandit capitalism.

Some critics fear that voters will usher in a new era of autocracy by electing Putin, who has demonstrated his willingness to harass the media and use military force against his own citizens: Chechnya’s civilian population.

“In voting for Putin, Russia will voluntarily opt for an authoritarian regime that demonstrates utter contempt for democratic freedoms and, furthermore, for human life,� maintained Andrei A. Piontkovsky, director of the Independent Institute for Strategic Studies, a Moscow think tank. “Putin is making his way over thousands of corpses of soldiers and civilians to his final destination--power and the presidency in Russia.�

On Friday, the last day of campaigning, Putin addressed voters on nationwide television and reminded them that they will be electing not only a president, but a commander in chief of the armed forces.

“Russia is one of the biggest countries in the world and a mighty nuclear power, and this is something kept in mind not only by our friends,� he said. “We are electing a president whose duty will be to revive the economy, restore the country’s prestige and leading role in the world, and provide for everyone an effective system of government, stability and prosperity.�

In the eight years since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has plummeted from the euphoria over its newfound freedoms to the depths of economic collapse. Its people, disillusioned by the failed promises of capitalism and democracy, have been united by Putin’s war to subdue Islamic separatists in Chechnya.

Piontkovsky compares the current period in Russia to post-World War I Germany, when the stigma of defeat and economic ruin made citizens receptive to the promises offered by authoritarian rule.

“Putin has taken advantage of the so-called Weimar Republic complex of most Russians,� he said. “The bitterness that resulted from Russia’s humiliated international status, from the loss of prestige, influence and even territories as a result of the loss of the Cold War, all this irritation and harbored resentment has been very skillfully channeled by Putin’s image makers.�

Today’s election has the trappings of democracy. There is more than one candidate on the ballot, unlike in Soviet times, and they have been free to travel around, speak their minds and air a few ads on television. A thousand international observers are scattered throughout the country to ensure that voting rules are followed.

The way the campaign has been conducted, however, does not live up to Western standards of democracy. None of Putin’s rivals has been able to compete with the power of the presidency.

In fact, only three candidates--Putin, Zyuganov and pro-market liberal Grigory A. Yavlinsky--have mounted serious campaigns. Others, such as Gov. Aman G. Tuleyev of the Kemerovo region, kept a place on the ballot but said Putin was the best candidate.

Television is crucial in a country that spans 11 time zones, and the Kremlin controls both of Russia’s biggest networks, RTR and ORT. Putin benefited from flattering blanket news coverage, while his opponents were portrayed in a negative light--if at all.

Most of the candidates on the ballot--whose numbers were reduced to 11 last week when Yevgeny Savostyanov dropped out of the race--received so little coverage that few Russians know who they are. On one recent day, Putin appeared on RTR news shows 38 times while Zyuganov was shown 13 times and Yavlinsky only twice.

Four minor candidates were so eager for attention that they appeared as contestants on “Oh, Lucky One,� the Russian version of the TV game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?�

Putin has been running less against his rivals than against Chechen rebels and the image of his feeble predecessor.

To emphasize the contrast with Yeltsin, Health Minister Yuri Shevchenko announced Thursday that Putin is in “perfect health�--even though he acknowledged that he had never examined the patient.

The two television networks, meanwhile, have kept up a steady assault on the Chechen rebels along with constant coverage of the Russian forces’ war effort.

In one gruesome segment aired last week, RTR showed footage of Chechen rebels executing four Russian soldiers, including two whose throats were cut. The gory scenes--shown at 8 p.m. without advance warning--likely will do more to motivate Putin’s supporters than a campaign ad ever could.

Putin has been campaigning hard, touring factories, visiting the troops and meeting foreign leaders. He has been shown skiing, throwing people in judo and sitting in a cafe like a regular person. Recently, he flew in a fighter jet to the devastated Chechen capital, Grozny, to address the troops. It was widely reported that he briefly took the controls of the plane.

As he has traveled around the country in recent weeks, Putin has had something to offer everyone. He has promised to raise wages and pensions, revive industry, curtail food imports to help farmers, attract foreign investment, improve schools, strengthen health care, fight bureaucracy, aid small business, reduce tax rates and build a strong defense.

How he will manage all this is unclear: The acting president’s chief economic advisor says Putin’s economic program will not be ready until May.

Nevertheless, voters appear ready to unite behind Putin. He began his bid for the presidency last August with a showing of 1% in the polls. At the time, 55% of those surveyed predicted that his stint as prime minister would not last six months. As recently as Wednesday, the independent ROMIR poll showed that as many as 57% of the voters will cast their ballots for him.

The biggest obstacle for Putin may be overconfidence among his supporters. Under law, the election will be valid only if more than half the electorate turns out to vote. In his speech Friday, Putin implored the voters to cast their ballots--for anyone.

“On the eve of this most important event in the history of the state, it is my obligation to ask you, my fellow countrymen, to carry out your constitutional duty,� Putin said. “It is imperative to go to the polls on Sunday and choose the president of a new Russia.�

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Rounding Out the Field in Russia’s Election

Acting President Vladimir V. Putin faces 10 challengers in today’s presidential election and is expected to win the most votes.

If no candidate wins more than 50%, the top two finishers will compete in a runoff April 16. Here are the top five challengers:

Gennady A. Zyuganov

The leader of the Communist Party, Zyuganov, 56, lost to President Boris N. Yeltsin in the 1996 runoff. With the best-organized party in Russia and millions of loyal supporters, he is expected to finish second and could force a runoff. Zyuganov, an uncharismatic former propagandist, is given little chance of winning public support beyond the party faithful.

Grigory A. Yavlinsky

The founder and leader of the liberal Yabloko party, Yavlinsky, 47, also ran for president in 1996. A liberal economist, he has promised to end the war in Chechnya if elected. His approach to solving Russia’s problems coincides most with Western views, but many Russians consider him too arrogant to be president.

Vladimir V. Zhirinovsky

This is the third try for the flamboyant and frequently outrageous leader of the Liberal Democratic Party. Zhirinovsky, 53, often sides with the Kremlin on crucial votes but behaves like a hooligan in the Duma, engaging in fistfights with fellow deputies. He is notorious for his anti-Semitic, ultranationalist rhetoric, boasting in his memoirs about sexual escapades and declaring that Russia should seize Alaska.

Yuri I. Skuratov

Skuratov, 47, was suspended as prosecutor general after a man closely resembling him was shown on state television in bed with two prostitutes. He claims that he was ousted because of his investigation into alleged Kremlin corruption and promises to fight wrongdoing in government if elected.

Konstantin Titov

As governor of the Samara region, Titov, 54, has had more success introducing elements of a market economy than most of his colleagues. A respected regional leader, he supports civil liberties and a negotiated end to the Chechen war. He is reportedly the wealthiest of the candidates.

The other five candidates running for Russia’s presidency are: Aman G. Tuleyev, 55, governor of the Kemerovo region. Stanislav S.

Govorukhin, 63, a movie director and Duma deputy. Umar Dzhabrailov, 41, a Chechen businessman. Ella Pamfilova, 46, a liberal

former Duma deputy. Alexei Podberyozkin, 47, leader of the leftist Spiritual Heritage movement.