"Uncovering Voter Fraud: The Shpilkin Method and Russia's Non-Election"
Independent media reports using the "Shpilkin method" estimate that as many as half of the votes reported for Vladimir Putin in Russia’s recent presidential election were fraudulent, with around 22-31.6 million false votes cast in his favor. The method, developed by analyst Sergey Shpilkin, analyzes voter manipulation by comparing turnout at polling stations and has won prestigious awards in Russia. While the method has limitations and may not account for more subtle forms of fraud, it provides rough estimates that challenge the narrative of high turnout and overwhelming support for Putin, serving as a political tool and message to the international community.