In the recently concluded Russian presidential election, Vladimir Putin has won a record post-Soviet landslide victory, securing his grip on power for another six years.
Despite a large number of opponents staging a noon protest at polling stations, Putin managed to win with a decisive lead.
According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, he secured an overwhelming 87 percent of the vote with about 60 percent of precincts counted. This means Putin, who is now 71, will overtake Josef Stalin and become Russia’s longest-serving leader in more than 200 years.
The election saw a nationwide turnout of 74.22 percent when polls closed, surpassing the levels recorded in 2018, which was 67.5 percent. This indicates that the Russian people have shown a keen interest in the election, and their participation is a testament to their belief in the democratic process.
The Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov came second with just under 4 percent of the vote, newcomer Vladislav Davankov third, and ultra-nationalist Leonid Slutsky fourth, early results suggested. The election was seen as a one-horse race, and Putin’s victory was never in doubt.
Nevertheless, the high turnout and the margin of victory will certainly boost Putin’s confidence, and he will undoubtedly use it to his advantage.
For Putin, a former KGB lieutenant colonel who first rose to power in 1999, the result is intended to underscore to the West that its leaders will have to reckon with an emboldened Russia, whether in war or in peace, for many more years to come.
Putin’s victory is significant not only for Russia but also for the global geopolitical landscape. The United States has criticized the election, stating that it was neither free nor fair.
“The elections are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him,” said the White House’s National Security Council spokesperson.
However, Putin’s supporters have brushed aside these allegations, stating that the election was conducted in a transparent and democratic manner.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “this election fraud has no legitimacy and cannot have any”
The election came more than two years after Putin’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
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