In the latest Russian election, President Vladimir Putin has secured a record-breaking victory, despite international criticism and domestic protests.
What Happened: Putin won 87.8% of the vote, marking the highest result in Russia’s post-Soviet history, according to an exit poll by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM). This win sets the stage for Putin to begin a new six-year term, potentially making him Russia’s longest-serving leader in over 200 years, reported Reuters on Sunday.
Despite Putin’s landslide victory, the election has been criticized by the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other nations as neither free nor fair, due to the imprisonment of political opponents and censorship.
In his victory speech, Putin promised to focus on tasks related to Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and to bolster the Russian military. He dismissed the Navalny-inspired protests against him as having no impact on the election’s outcome.
“We have many tasks ahead. But when we are consolidated – no matter who wants to intimidate us, suppress us – nobody has ever succeeded in history, they have not succeeded now, and they will not succeed ever in the future,” said Putin, according to Reuters.
When he was asked by a U.S. journalist if the election was democratic, Putin said, “The whole world is laughing at what is happening (in the United States),” he said. “This is just a disaster, not a democracy.”
He asked in turn, “…Is it democratic to use administrative resources to attack one of the candidates for the presidency of the United States, using the judiciary among other things?”
Putin’s comments were ascribed as a reference to the prosecution of Donald Trump, according to Reuters.
Putin’s re-election occurs against the backdrop of war, following his order to invade Ukraine just over two years ago, igniting the deadliest European conflict since World War Two. The war has significantly influenced the three-day election, with Ukraine repeatedly attacking Russian oil refineries and shelling Russian regions.
Despite the controversy, Putin’s re-election was largely anticipated due to his control over Russia and the lack of any substantial challengers. The nationwide turnout surpassed 2018 levels, reaching 74.22% when polls closed.
Why It Matters: Putin’s re-election comes amidst a war backdrop, following his order to invade Ukraine just over two years ago. The war has significantly influenced the three-day election, with Ukraine repeatedly attacking Russian oil refineries and shelling Russian regions. Benzinga previously reported that Putin’s re-election was largely expected due to his control over Russia and the absence of any substantial challengers.
The Russian opposition had called for a protest during the election to honor the late Alexei Navalny, a prominent Kremlin critic. However, Putin dismissed these protests as having no effect on the election’s outcome. Benzinga reported that even the most outspoken critics of the Kremlin did not believe that the planned action, which authorities have categorically labeled as illegal, would have any impact on the inevitable landslide victory that Putin was expected to secure.
Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) had accused the Biden administration of attempting to interfere in Russia's presidential election, a claim the U.S. has denied. SVR, without providing evidence, accused the Biden administration of using non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to manipulate voter turnout and discredit the election results.
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