Russian President Putin Re-elected for Fifth Term with Overwhelming 87% Votes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has won the election once again, with a staggering 87.28% of the votes. The announcement came from Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) on Monday. All polling stations reported 100% participation, with a record turnout of 87.1 million voters, which accounts for 77.44% of eligible voters.

There was little doubt about Putin's victory, as all major opponents either faced imprisonment, exile, or death. The Kremlin's strict measures against public criticism of the war in Ukraine also added to the environment where opposition was virtually absent.

The final results of the election saw Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov securing the second position with 4.31% of the vote. Following him were New People candidate Vladislav Davankov and nationalist Leonid Slutsky with 3.85% and 3.20% respectively. The official results from the CEC are expected to be presented later this week.

In his victory speech, Putin promised to continue resisting external pressures. This victory marks his fifth term as president, with his previous tenure marked by the 2022 invasion of Ukraine which isolated Russia on the global stage.

The election also took place in Ukraine, now under Russian control. Preliminary data from the CEC and exit polls conducted at 1,400 polling stations indicate Putin's overwhelming victory. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation's candidate, Nikolay Kharitonov, secured the second position, followed by the New People party candidate, Vladislav Davankov, and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia's candidate, Leonid Slutsky.

While exit polls suggest a clear outcome, the official results will include data from remote electronic voting, available for the first time in a Russian presidential election. The CEC will announce the official results after all 91,400 local election commissions upload their ballot logs.

Despite the overwhelming victory, major opposition parties, including the Communist Party, New People, and the Liberal Democratic Party, have accepted the preliminary results. They noted the absence of significant irregularities during the voting process, suggesting the legitimacy of the election.

This election also saw a record turnout, with 74.22% of eligible voters participating by the final day of voting. The introduction of three-day voting aimed to make voting more accessible to all citizens, with online voting being an additional option available in 29 regions.

Observers noted the high level of participation in online voting, indicating its popularity among voters. It reflects the readiness of Russians to respond to external challenges and express their will through convenient voting methods.