‍Presidential elections in Russia are just around the corner, with Vladimir Putin largely seen as the leading contender in the race. However, the polls are taking place amid widespread voter apathy, and concerns about the country’s weak economy.

“[Vladimir] Putin is a great politician. If I vote, I will vote for Putin,” a young college student who didn’t wish to be named told CGTN Digital on the Red Square, as Russians prepare to vote for their next president on March 18. 

The man, however, was quick to add that whether he cast a ballot or not, it will not have an impact on the results – echoing the conviction of a growing number of Russians who threaten a low turnout this year.

Another man, Artem Ryzhov, said there is “no better choice than Putin as he is leading the country to prosperity, and building Russia as a strong nation both domestically and internationally.” The man’s point of view is no exception: a good number of those CGTN spoke to, from college students and shop owners to business people and employees, seem to back the sitting president.

"I will absolutely vote for Putin."

“Putin has made our country a strong nation in military, economy and trade and everything else,” said Lenar Kurbanov, a young white-collar worker. "Putin practically restored the state. Compared to [former President Boris] Yeltsin, he was a reformer." 

Opinion polls show that Putin has a substantial lead over the other seven presidential hopefuls. According to the most recent survey, conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center on March 4, Putin would secure nearly 70 percent of the vote.

But there is a sizable fraction of young Russians who have no interest in politics. “I will not vote”, said a host at a restaurant around the Red Square, adding that “politics will not help my life and do no good to me. No matter who wins, the only thing I hope for is to earn more money.”

Many spoke of daily hardships in the country and complained about the lack of jobs outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. They also expressed worry about their country’s sluggish economy and the slow infrastructure development outside of the capital.

Putin has overseen a period of economic growth during his first two terms (2000 – 2008) in the wake of the financial instability of the 1990s. But his third mandate, which began in 2012 after four years as prime minister, saw a faltering economy with a protracted period of recession. Russia's GDP grew by 1.5 percent year-on-year in 2017, compared with a 0.2 percent contraction in 2016. It was the first year of economic expansion since 2014.

Meanwhile, Moscow has been flexing its military muscles, increasing its involvement overseas such as in Syria and showcasing its state-of-the-art weaponry. The Russian military said on Monday it has successfully tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that could sneak through enemy defenses.