Protest voting did not cause a mass gathering of voters at the polling stations in Volgograd and Astrakhan.

A part of the voters in Volgograd and Astrakhan participated today in the action "Noon for a Peaceful Russia", but the number of participants who came to the polling stations was small.

Earlier, "Caucasian Knot" reported that on September 18, the police in Volgograd warned civic activists about the inadmissibility of actions during the elections. On September 18, queues were observed at polling stations in the regional center. On September 19, it was reported that the situation with fuel supply for the population noticeably improved during the elections in Volgograd. However, voters believe that the fuel shortage will return next week. Data from the election commission indicating that more than 36 percent of voters voted in the Volgograd region on Friday suggest that such turnout may be related either to artificial inflation of the figure or to coercion to participate in the voting, local analysts indicated, stating that they see signs of administrative resource usage.

Vyacheslav Lemkus, a journalist tracking the voting process in the Volgograd region, visited polling stations on September 20, where he assumed student activists might vote. At one of them, a group of students (about 10 people) arrived at 12:00 Moscow time. They were holding apples. Besides the students, a married couple of pensioners also voted at the station.

"A member of the election commission immediately approached us accompanied by a police officer. She said that people not registered at the station could not enter the voting area, asked us not to crowd at the door, and to go outside. Therefore, for example, I was escorted out. When the guys went outside, I asked them if they were participating in a protest action. They confirmed their participation but avoided further conversation," said Lemkus.

Vyacheslav reported that at two other polling stations where students could vote, he did not observe a significant gathering of youth in the afternoon.

"I talked to some (students). They said they are currently concerned about possible mobilization. They are sure it will start after the elections and that they will begin to 'fail' them in exams to meet the quotas for the mobilized. One of the students is worried about a possible default. But his friends believe that such a risk is unlikely," Vyacheslav reported.

Volgograd historian Andrei Kudинов said that he voted today at 12:00 Moscow time. According to him, several people participated in the protest voting at his polling station.

"These are my good acquaintances, neighbors from the microdistrict. Everyone is outraged by the situation in which our country and people have found themselves in recent years. The members of the election commission and the police paid no attention to us but warned us not to take photos at the station," said Andrei.

One of the Volgograd activists, who had previously expressed a desire to participate in the action, told the correspondent that he decided to vote at a different time.

"Right now, there is a lot of pressure for such actions. So for now, I will take a break," he explained his decision, asking not to disclose his name.

After voting, the man said that at the entrance to the polling station, he took several pictures on his phone. A police officer asked why. When our interlocutor inquired about the legality of photographing, the police officer replied that filming was legal and did not prevent him. According to the activist, there was only one observer at the station – from the "United Russia" party.

It is very difficult to separate participants of the action from ordinary loyal citizens, as they did not hold any placards. So both sides attribute the influx of citizens to the polling stations at 12 o'clock to themselves.

Political scientist Mikhail Doliyev* noted that in Astrakhan, as in many other regions, the action "Noon for a Peaceful Russia" went unnoticed.

"It is very difficult to separate participants of the action from ordinary loyal citizens, as they did not hold any placards. So both sides attribute the influx of citizens to the polling stations at 12 o'clock to themselves. From past years' experience, I can say that traditionally, voters would come to the polling stations by 12 o'clock. People are generally used to sleeping until 10:00 on Sundays, then having breakfast and going to vote. I think many of the voters did not even know about such an action because it was not mentioned on television," noted the political scientist.

Mikhail Doliyev* noted that after the organizer of the action Ilya Yashin* refused to hold it in Yerevan, "citing a lack of safety," the action lost all meaning.

"Although not long ago, the leader of the organization stated his readiness to return to a Russian prison," said Mikhail.

Apparently, because we came in small numbers (12 people), the commission members were not concerned. They were not even bothered by the apples we held in our hands.

A civic activist, a student from an Astrakhan university, who introduced himself as Dmitry, told the correspondent that voting at 12:00 Moscow time "went well."

"Apparently, because we came in small numbers (12 people), the commission members were not concerned. They were not even bothered by the apples we held in our hands. We were only prohibited from taking photos. Although someone seemed to manage to take a couple of pictures," the young man said, noting that there were a few other people present at the station – residents of the microdistrict.

The wife of the activist, speaking on condition of anonymity, echoed the concerns of Volgograd students regarding imminent mobilization.

"Right now, in the student community, all they talk about is mobilization. It may happen by the end of autumn. How will they call students? They will simply start failing them in exams - and to the military enlistment office," said the student.

Astrakhan activist, who introduced himself as Oleg, also voted today. According to him, at the entrance to the school where the election commission was located, a folk choir was singing. Passersby stopped to listen to their songs from behind the fence. Oleg did not notice any other activity.

"There are not many people, it’s sluggish. No scandals. I talked to the police and the chairman. Quiet, like in a swamp," noted Oleg.