In a significant milestone for his political career, Vladimir Putin recently won the presidential election in Russia, securing his fifth term as head of the Russian Federation. However, concerns about electoral fraud have arisen following the release of election results.
Independent observers, including investigative site Meduza and media outlet Novaya Gazeta, have pointed out discrepancies between the expected number of votes and the official data released by the authorities. Using the “Shpilkin method”, named after Russian statistician Sergey Shpilkin, these observers have estimated that nearly 22 million to over 31 million ballots were falsified in the election.
The Shpilkin method is a mathematical process designed to quantify electoral fraud by analyzing voting patterns and discrepancies in election data. Despite his contributions to electoral research, Shpilkin has faced backlash from the Kremlin and has been labeled as a “foreign agent” due to his critical stance against the regime.
As concerns over electoral fraud continue to grow, it raises questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Russia and the legitimacy of Putin’s landslide victory. The use of mathematical analysis and independent observers have shed light on potential fraud in the recent election, challenging transparency and fairness of democratic process in country.
