Russian President Vladimir Putin has secured 87.28% of all votes cast in the March 15-17 election, with 100% of polling stations submitting ballots, Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) announced Monday.
Putin’s victory was never in doubt, with all his major opponents dead, in prison or exiled, all the while the Kremlin has waged an unrelenting crackdown on public criticism of the war in Ukraine.
CEC head Ella Pamfilova said Monday that turnout in the 2024 presidential election set a record of 87.1 million, or 77.44% of eligible voters.
The final election results showed Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov coming second with 4.31% of the vote, while New People candidate Vladislav Davankov and nationalist Leonid Slutsky pulled in 3.85% and 3.20% respectively.
The CEC is expected to present its official results on Thursday.
Putin, who has steered Russia into isolation with the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, vowed in a victory speech late Sunday to continue resisting outside pressure.
The three-day vote was also held in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.
On Sunday, thousands of Russians both at home and abroad responded to the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s call to protest the election by forming long lines at polling places at noon.
AFP contributed reporting.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
