Three Hundred and Fifty

350.  That’s the number of foreign election observers Russia plans on having monitor the Duma elections in December.  350 is about 700 observers less than than elections four years ago.  The reason was simple explained Central Elections Commissioner Vladimir Churov.  Having observers at all 95,000 of Russia polling stations would amount to foreign interference.  “Tell me where in any international or internal (Russian) document it is written that the legitimacy of the elections depends on the number of international observers,” he said at a press conference announcing the slashing of election observers on Monday.  Well true.  After all, Russia has its own election monitors in the form of especially trained Nashi activists.  Plus Churov said that invitations will be sent out to “colleagues” from countries well known for their fair elections: Jordan, Spain, Italy, Mongolia, Poland, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine” in addition to more palatable countries like Britain, Germany, France, and Finland.  Sounds like the elections will be fun.