Prokhorov's Presidential Hopes Likely To Be Dashed by Putin Machine

Starting at 3 p.m. Saturday, Russians along the country's Pacific Coast will line up to vote in the country's presidential election, one that will determine if an NBA owner can gain control of 2,700 nuclear weapons. (Does Billy Hunter know this? How about Otis Smith!?)

All kidding aside, Mikhail Prokhorov, who bought the Nets in 2010 and remains the most interesting man in the world, is not likely to beat Vladmir Putin. Nor is he likely to get into a March 18 runoff should Putin not receive 50 per cent of the vote. His poll numbers put him in the high single digits, but behind Gennady Zyuganov, the Communist, and Vladimir Zhirinovsky of the Liberal Democrats (which are neither).

Still, and this should come as no surprise, his final rally was the best, the most like a celebration, the most like an American campaign rally. Even if, as expected, Prokhorov loses, his campaign has raised a number of reformist, even radical issues that otherwise would never have been debated. Results should be known by Monday.

• Russia Enters ‘Day of Silence’ before Presidential Election - RIA Novosti
• 'Mama Luba' and 'Uncle Misha' - Natasha Mozgovaya - Haaretz
• Putin Hot Favourite To Win Russian Presidency - Amanda Walker - SKY News UK
• Russia's aspirational voters look to Prokhorov - Al-Jazeera
• Election Explainer: Russia's Presidential Vote - Radio Free Europe
• Russians Gear Up for Presidential Vote - Jessica Golloher - Voice of America
  
• Russia: who’d bet $1m on Prokhorov? - Rob Minto - Financial Times
• As New York Russians Prepare to Vote, Nets Owner is a Choice on the Ballot - Ilya Marritz - WNYC
  
• Russia Faces Major Changes Even If Putin Wins Election - Steve Liesman - CNBC