Vladimir Putin the Russian opposition and by international observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe for procedural irregularities. Anti-Putin protests took place during and directly after the presidential campaign. The most notorious protest was the Pussy Riot performance on 21 February, and subsequent trial. An estimated 8,000–20,000 protesters gathered in Moscow on 6 May, when eighty people were injured in confrontations with police, and 450 were arrested, with another 120 arrests taking place the following day. A counter-protest of Putin supporters occurred which culminated in a gathering of an estimated 130,000 supporters at the Luzhniki Stadium, Russia's largest stadium.
2018 Vladimir Putin presidential campaign 2018 Vladimir Putin presidential campaign The 2018 presidential campaign of Vladimir Putin was announced on 6 December 2017, during Putin's speech at the GAZ automobile plant. He is the 4th and incumbent President of Russia; previously he was the 33rd Prime Minister of Russia, 2nd President of Russia and 4th Federal Security Service Director. This campaign is his fourth. Prior to this he successfully participated in elections in 2000, 2004 and 2012. Vladimir Putin had consistently scored higher than 40% in opinion polls since the last presidential election. Putin was re-elected as the President of the Russian Federation on 18