Putin's voting video exposes an awkward detail: Kremlin runs unlicensed software

Russian President Vladimir Putin took part on Friday in the country's State Duma elections, a vote widely expected to be won by parties fully loyal to him. The Kremlin released a short video showing Putin casting his vote at a computer.

In the footage, Putin is seen squinting at the monitor, muttering to himself "Mhm" and "Can't make a mistake." He then clicks the mouse several times, cautiously and slowly, before finally saying "thank you" to confirm the voting process was complete.

Unactivated Windows system

Observant internet users noticed an unusual detail in the final frames of the video — a notification in the bottom right corner of the screen stating that the Windows operating system was not activated. This suggests the Kremlin is running software without an official Microsoft license. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Microsoft officially stopped selling new licenses in the country.

Social media users have been actively commenting on and mocking the detail, pointing to the apparent contradiction of the country's leader working with unlicensed software.

The monitor also raises questions

Attention was also drawn to the Dell-manufactured monitor on Putin's desk. Dell likewise fully withdrew from the Russian market in 2022, meaning the device was either purchased before sanctions took effect or later supplied to Putin through unofficial channels.

It is worth noting that Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, has previously claimed that the Russian president does not personally use the internet or a smartphone — a claim that observers say makes his somewhat clumsy handling of the computer in the video all the more understandable.