Russian leader greets thousands of supporters in Luzhniki stadium ahead of presidential vote
The Associated Press
Posted: Mar 03, 2018 10:38 AM ET
Last Updated: Mar 03, 2018 10:40 AM ET
Tens of thousands of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s supporters have gathered for a campaign rally at Moscow’s sprawling main sports complex.
The crowd at the rally, held two weeks before Russia’s presidential election, filled the Luzhniki stadium, which has the capacity for more than 81,000 people. Police estimated the overall turnout at the complex, which includes other sports facilities, to be 130,000.
Putin, right, greets Russian Olympic athletes during the rally at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
The event on Saturday featured entertainers and an appearance by Putin.
He told the cheering crowd: “We want to make our country bright, forward-looking into the future, because our ancestors lived here, we live here, our children live here and our children and our grandchildren will live here.”
Putin is seeking a fourth term and faces no significant opposition in the March 18 election.
The rally was held two days after Putin unveiled Russia’s next generation of nuclear armaments, including a missile he claims cannot be intercepted by any modern defence system.
Vladimir Putin’s answer to nuclear threats is more nuclear weapons2:41
With files from CBC News
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