I saw these stories on the Gurdian and cnn, what a step back from democracy! Will Russia ever get it right? Comments please...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/russia2

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe...ion/index.html

How so, official observers (OSCE) didn't find any violation but Luke Harding and Tom Parfitt found. The most of Russians like Putin and they would've elect Putin or his successor even if they had other acceptable alternative.

Not all like Putin, but that isn't the point. They have no other choice! What if that other alternative was losing your job? Would you be jumping to elect the other if your only income would be taken. If, of course, the articals are true, which I don't guarentee and hope they arn't.

I wasn't brought to give my vote for Putin on my job.
My wife wasn't brought too.
Also nobody compeled my parents and my wife's parents to make their vote and they didn't take part in election.
Nobody can see to whom I gave my vote.
My wife's parents work in military, and they do not hide their abstention of election from anyone.
I'm sure, the article is false and I don't understand why such article is published.

like I said, I wasn't sure of their reliability, so thanks for getting us all strait on this issue. This is good news for Russia