Monitors Assure That Data Of Russia's Online Voters That Leaked On Darknet Are Not Valid

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2020) The leaked data from the database of Russians who took part in the online voting on the constitutional amendments are not valid, so the situation does not present any threat to the voters, Ilya Massukh, the head of Moscow's election monitoring headquarters, told Sputnik on Tuesday, commenting on media reports that data of the online voters is sold in the darknet.

"It has been revealed that the passport data and the surnames are not valid, these people have not taken part in the online voting. I would even say there are no such people at all. At least, this is what I can say about the several samples that we have obtained," Massukh said.

Massukh told Sputnik that the data had been leaked while being transferred to district election commissions and during verification of lists, aimed at avoiding double voting. The database does not include personal data, only passport numbers.

The emergence of the data in the darknet will not lead to any negative consequences for the Russian citizens, Massukh explained.

"I believe it will be necessary to make the procedure more sophisticated, perhaps, to strengthen both encryption and responsibility, since the leak happened as a result of irresponsible approach of some staffers of election commissions," Massukh concluded.