How Russian America will vote in the presidential elections in Russia

In Russia, presidential elections will be held on March 18. In the United States, Russian citizens will also be able to participate in the fate of their homeland and cast their vote, despite the sharp deterioration of relations, polling stations will remain open. And even in San Francisco, where the Russian Consulate General was closed by decision of the US authorities, they are organizing a mobile site. On the Russian street of New York, for example - that is, in that same Brighton - in recent days there has been nothing but talk about the elections. Correspondent Rtvi Denis Cheredov compared the mood of Russian citizens in Russian Brooklyn and Manhattan. And these are, without any doubt, completely different worlds.

Tatyana Savenkova

Every morning, Brighton Beach resident Tatyana Savenkova comes to the Atlantic Ocean embankment. Chat with the locals and at the same time agitate. The Russian presidential elections are upon us. You never know, maybe someone hasn’t decided…on a candidate. Tatyana says - Putin is alone.

“A loyal person, not a brawler, he will listen to everything, evaluate everything, weigh everything, but I don’t know - I like him!” says Tatyana

Businesswoman Irina Polyakova is still in doubt. I haven’t decided who to give my vote to. Nearby is my friend Lyudmila. People argue for hours about the future of Russia.

Lyudmila Gorbenko

“Putin is for the people! There must be Putin - there is no one else - there is no worthy candidate,” says Lyudmila. — And Putin lifted the country out of a huge hole. You see, people here who have lived for a long time don’t know this.”

Gorbenko, like many pensioners in Brighton Beach, receives a good pension - 800 dollars - that's about 46 thousand rubles. He pays rent for an apartment like all low-income people in the area - only $200. Utilities are at a reduced rate. And here, almost every second person receives government assistance - free health insurance and food stamps.

“Russian” Street of America is a unique place. Here they can deny Western values, but at the same time take advantage of everything that the most powerful economy on the planet offers. They fled from the Soviet Union and managed to create their own small Soviet Union in Brighton. They don't complain about life. There is time to get together with a friendly group and watch football. But what would football be without politics?

pensioner Alexander

“Honestly, let him stay, because he is doing something - I have a lot of relatives all over Siberia, and these people started to get a penny,” says pensioner Alexander.

This young man is shouting out Putin’s name. His friends call him “Sasha Gradus”. I am ready to campaign for my favorite candidate in any condition. He immediately names the merits of the current president of Russia.

Alexander

“Independence, a beautiful country - more or less. Capital! But I don't live there. OK? There is no one more worthy!” says Alexander.

On the other side of Brighton, local opposition leader Malka Shahar is calling for people not to go to the polls. A few days ago, a woman wrote about this on Facebook. Russian-speaking users reacted immediately.

Malka Shahar

“Various people living here in the USA directly threatened me with death, destruction of my reputation, my family, my life,” Malka admits.

Brighton Beach residents won't have to travel to Manhattan to vote. Malka Shahar shows a cafe on Coney Island Avenue - here on Sunday the president of Russia will be elected. The RTVI film crew tried to find out why the Consulate General chose this particular restaurant and under what conditions - the cafe would literally become Russian territory for one day. But the owner of the establishment, Elli Avshalumov, did not want to give an interview on camera.

Ellie Avshalumov

How were you chosen? How does this process occur? Just wondering.

“They asked in several places, came to us and asked us.

And you are allowed?

- Why not?

And what amount are we talking about?

- What does the amount have to do with it? We haven't agreed on the amount yet.

So you provide for free?

- No! “Nothing comes for free,” the entrepreneur explained.

Whether there is a lease agreement or not, the cafe is already listed on the official website of the Russian Consulate General as a voting site.

In March 2016, 5 thousand holders of Russian passports went to elect deputies to the State Duma. And this is all over America! This time, a real stir is predicted at the polling stations. Firstly, a lot of effort and ... funds were spent on the election campaign abroad, and secondly, the very status of the elections is now different - presidential! America, of course, is not Russia - but turnout is important here too.

There have been no calls for people to come to the polls for a long time on a Russian-language radio station... - Russian! The host of the “Boutique-Politics” program, Kirill Zadov, has recently had enough topics for discussion and analysis even without Putin’s re-election. He might have avoided the vote, but the listeners won’t let him.

Kirill Zadov

“Various disputes arise. Even though they can vote, and they have Russian passports, and they feel like citizens of Russia, but still Russia is currently 10 thousand kilometers away from them - you understand - yes,” says Kirill.

Svetlana Batrak has been living in America for 25 years. And he suffers. Svetlana is far from Brighton - she prefers a two-room apartment in the prestigious East Village area of ​​New York. A portrait of Vladimir Putin watches closely as she prepares coffee. In the living room there are books about Stalin on the shelf.

Svetlana Batrak

“Crimea and Syria are not a problem! This is a story of victories, great and incredibly important, which will have very far-reaching consequences,” says Svetlana.

And her life seems to have worked out in America. Yes, at first I worked in the service sector, like many immigrants. But then I got into the Soros Foundation - and began traveling around the world. Now he works with his husband - he is a restorer. In his company, Svetlana is responsible for finances. She has American citizenship, but she is ready to give it up. For the sake of Russia. But things just don’t work out with returning home.

“I have nothing in Russia, no real estate. Nothing! And I understand that finding a job will not be the easiest thing. Yes? You need quite serious capital to pick up and move,” says Svetlana.

The new generation of immigrants thinks differently. Anna Leontyeva is a Muscovite, Roman Kiryanov is a St. Petersburger. Here they met and became friends. Both went to America for education.

Anna Leontyeva, Roman Kiryanov

Here Anna is studying at Hunter College, where a year of tuition costs about 30 thousand dollars. But she knows what she's doing. After lunch he hurries to work, and in the evening to classes. Roman came to America a year ago on a student visa and is still searching.

Roman Kiryanov

“Putin has had enough time in power. He must go. So that we have a different president in our country. So that our country can finally establish friendly relations with the USA and Europe. That's the only thing I want. And so that people in Russia stop believing in the supernatural,” says Roman Kiryanov.

During the year, Roman managed to do a lot: learned English, worked as a volunteer at the UN, made new friends. And now he is looking at the university in order to realize his dream in the future - to open his own hotel. Despite the grandiose American plans, the young man will go to the polls on Sunday.

Russian Consul General in New York Sergei Ovsyannikov talks about how preparations for the presidential elections are going. At the polling station at the consulate, everything is just like home—burgundy tablecloths on the tables, samples of ballots, and even a telephone with the Russian coat of arms. They are even going to give out gifts here - if only people would come!

Brighton resident Tatyana Savenkova does not yet know that gifts will be distributed at the polling stations. Plans for Sunday are already made. After voting, the woman plans to visit the local social assistance department. Elections are elections, but no one has yet canceled free health insurance.

Read also on ForumDaily:

What I like about the Russian-speaking community in New York

Russians about life in New York: prices are always rising

5 best films about the achievements of Russian: how to watch them for free in the US

Mikhail Gorbachev: how the first and last president of the USSR lives and what regrets

5 best Russian comedies: how to watch them for free in the US

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.