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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Russia regional vote: Last day of campaigning before key test | Russia regional vote: Last day of campaigning before key test |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Russia is entering the final hours of campaigning for regional elections widely seen as a test ahead of parliamentary polls in a year's time. | Russia is entering the final hours of campaigning for regional elections widely seen as a test ahead of parliamentary polls in a year's time. |
| Voters in some regions will choose governors and others will select regional parliaments on Sunday. | Voters in some regions will choose governors and others will select regional parliaments on Sunday. |
| But the main opposition Democratic Coalition has been allowed to stand in just one region, Kostroma. | But the main opposition Democratic Coalition has been allowed to stand in just one region, Kostroma. |
| The coalition includes the parties of murdered politician, Boris Nemtsov, and protest leader, Alexei Navalny. | The coalition includes the parties of murdered politician, Boris Nemtsov, and protest leader, Alexei Navalny. |
| Navalny cannot run for office as he is serving a suspended prison sentence in an embezzlement case that he argues was fabricated. | Navalny cannot run for office as he is serving a suspended prison sentence in an embezzlement case that he argues was fabricated. |
| The Duma has been stripped of any real opposition under President Vladimir Putin. | The Duma has been stripped of any real opposition under President Vladimir Putin. |
| 'Keep fighting' | 'Keep fighting' |
| The Democratic Coalition's campaign has not been easy - with minimal coverage on the state media and accusations that they are working for the US, reports the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Kostroma, north-east of Moscow. | |
| "They tried to damage my campaign in many ways - with lies, with propaganda, with provocateurs with police," said Ilya Yashin, the main coalition candidate in Kostroma. | "They tried to damage my campaign in many ways - with lies, with propaganda, with provocateurs with police," said Ilya Yashin, the main coalition candidate in Kostroma. |
| "This year they killed my friend. Another of my friends is in prison. He was a chief of staff of my campaign in the first period. | |
| "We must keep fighting because you know, it's a question about the future of our country. If we will stop that means they win." | "We must keep fighting because you know, it's a question about the future of our country. If we will stop that means they win." |
| Russia's main opposition groups combined forces in April, nearly two months after the murder of Mr Nemtsov, who was shot dead while walking with his girlfriend near the Kremlin. | Russia's main opposition groups combined forces in April, nearly two months after the murder of Mr Nemtsov, who was shot dead while walking with his girlfriend near the Kremlin. |
| The coalition, campaigning under Mr Nemtsov's party name Parnas, hopes the the regional elections will be a springboard for the 2016 national parliamentary vote. | The coalition, campaigning under Mr Nemtsov's party name Parnas, hopes the the regional elections will be a springboard for the 2016 national parliamentary vote. |
| The second opposition candidate standing in Kostroma is Vladimir Andreichenko. | The second opposition candidate standing in Kostroma is Vladimir Andreichenko. |