President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Russian citizens who participated in the presidential election, securing his control over the country for another six-year term amidst the most severe crackdown on dissent since the Soviet era.
Putin: Thank you all for your trust. I will do everything in my power to justify it. I understand that this level of trust increases the responsibility for Russia, for the well-being of our people, requires even greater commitment and efficiency from me personally and from our… pic.twitter.com/HvYsFF7t4u
— Victor vicktop55 (@vicktop55) March 21, 2024
Criticism of Putin or his actions regarding the Ukraine conflict has been stifled, independent media outlets severely curtailed, and prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny died in custody last month, with others facing imprisonment or forced exile. Western leaders denounced the election as fraudulent and lacking legitimacy.
In a video address following the announcement of the final results of the March 15-17 election, which showed him winning 87% of the votes, Putin argued that it reflected strong public support for his policies.
“This indicates backing for the country’s political and economic trajectory, our collective accomplishments which, while they should be greater, already contribute to making Russia stronger and more autonomous,” he stated.
On Thursday, the Central Election Commission released the final official results of the voting, indicating that Putin garnered over 76 million votes, marking the highest number during his nearly quarter-century rule. His three nominal opponents from Kremlin-aligned parties, who supported Putin’s policies, each received between 3% to 4% of the vote.
Apart from the limited options available, there were no independent monitoring organizations permitted to oversee the election. Analysts noted that the use of online polling made it highly vulnerable to manipulation.
Despite the certainty of Putin’s overwhelming victory, many Russians sought to challenge the predetermined outcome. They responded to a call from Navalny’s associates to protest against Putin’s domestic repression and the war in Ukraine by gathering at polling stations at noon on Sunday. Consequently, long queues formed outside several polling stations across Russia and its embassies worldwide during that time.
Putin has been at the helm of Russia as president or prime minister since December 1999, presiding over a period marked by international military actions and a growing intolerance towards dissent. If he completes his fifth term, Putin would become the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great, who ruled in the 18th century.
