President Vladimir Putin won a record post-Soviet landslide in Russia's election on Sunday. With half of the ballots counted, preliminary results reported on Sunday by Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) show Putin leading with 87.3% of the vote.
Nationwide turnout was 74.22% at 1800 GMT when polls closed, election officials said, surpassing 2018 levels of 67.5%, reported Reuters. Three other candidates from parties loyal to the Kremlin had offered no serious competition in the tightly controlled election. Communist Nikolai Kharitonov got 4.1% support, Vladislav Davankov from the New People, a party created in 2020, was on 4% and Leonid Slutsky, leader of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, trailed with 3.1%, the election commission data showed.
The election came more than two years after Putin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Putin asserted that his victory in the election would enable Russia to enhance its strength and effectiveness.
According to a report by BBC, Putin, speaking at his campaign headquarters, was quoted as saying, "Out of every voice, we are building a common will of the people of Russian Federation."
Putin emphasized that the relationship between China and Russia was enduring, expressing confidence that it would strengthen in the years ahead. also remarked that there was a lack of genuine democracy in the West, including the United States. He claimed that Russia's electoral system was more transparent compared to that of the U.S.
Putin also talked about Navalny's death terming it as 'sad'. He said the opposition politician should not have returned to Russia from Germany. Earlier, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny thanked those who took part in protests as the last of votes were cast.
Meanwhile, The White House National Security Council spokesperson said, "The elections are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also responded to Putin's win saying, "These days, the Russian dictator is simulating another election. It is clear to everyone in the world that this figure, as it has already often happened in the course of history, is simply sick for power and is doing everything to rule forever."
Putin was first nominated as acting president when former Russian President Boris Yeltsin resigned. He then won his first presidential election in March 2000 and a second term in 2004. The 2024 election win signifies that at 71 years old, Putin will surpass Josef Stalin, making him Russia's longest-serving leader in over 200 years. Putin will rule until at least 2030, when he will be 77.
