A well-known political journalist Vitaly Portnikov believes that in Russia there has never been a real political struggle and competition in the elections, whereas in Ukraine it has always been.

He told about this in an interview with "Apostrophe".

"There is no political life in Russia that would allow alternative candidates to be present at all on the political scene. Because political life is what we see in Ukraine, "Portnikov said, explaining that in Ukraine even during Yanukovych's time the opposition was in parliament and had access to the media.

"Half of the voters even in the conditions of authoritarianism {former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych] voted for political forces that were alternative to the incumbent president of Ukraine, whose goal was to shift his authority and elect some kind of alternative figure for president," the journalist explained..

Portnikov noted that even in the days of Yanukovych in Ukraine, oppositionists could hold rallies.

"Understand that in Russia this has never been practically. In Russia, the last conditional alternative presidential election was back in the days of [Russian President] Boris Yeltsin, when his main opponent was Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov. And then, the whole television propaganda machine of Russia worked for Yeltsin, not for Zyuganov, there was never a debate between Yeltsin and Zyuganov, "he said..

Portnikov also noted that the entire "parliamentary opposition" in Russia shares the views of the ruling party on all major issues - the occupation of Crimea and militarism in the Donbass.

The only choice, the journalist, who had a Russian voter, is a choice between progress and a return to the past, as it was in the 90's in the confrontation between the Communists and liberals.

"And we still always choose between different development options.

They may be wrong, say, when we choose between pro-Russian and pro-Western candidates. But our candidate for the presidency does not mean that we have to come back. This was only once, when the elections were held Kuchma-Simonenko, "- said Portnikov.

"So in this sense, when we start talking with you about the Russian elections, about Sobchak, about Navalny, it's certainly very interesting, but it has nothing to do with the elections," the journalist concluded..