Putin Claims Fifth Term as President in Landslide Victory
MOSCOW — In a presidential election where three Kremlin-approved candidates stood against him, Vladimir Putin secured his fifth term as president with a commanding victory.
Official results showed Putin winning over 87% of the vote, a margin he touted as evidence of Russia’s transparent democracy compared to the West.
However, the reality was that no credible opposition candidate was allowed to run, leading to symbolic protests by supporters of the late Putin critic Alexei Navalny.
Despite the “Noon against Putin” initiative that drew long lines of voters in Russian cities and abroad, the election outcome remained unaffected.
OVD-Info reported at least 80 arrests, with no major disruptions at polling stations unlike previous incidents.
International criticism labeled the election as neither free nor fair, with Germany denouncing it as a “pseudo-election” under an authoritarian regime.
UK Foreign Secretary condemned the “illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory,” while Ukraine’s President criticized Putin’s regime for simulating democracy.
Opposition figures like Leonid Volkov, who was recently attacked in exile, dismissed the election results as detached from reality.
Putin’s extended rule until 2030 marks his continued dominance since 2000, making him the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Stalin.
The election, marred by irregularities and coercion, showcased Putin’s grip on power and control over the political landscape.
Despite the orchestrated victory, protest votes and demonstrations reflected a growing discontent among citizens disenchanted with the lack of genuine opposition.
Putin’s critics, including Navalny’s widow Yulia and activists like Lyubov Sobol, highlighted the importance of solidarity in challenging the Kremlin’s authoritarian rule.
With opposition voices silenced or exiled, the election underscored the Kremlin’s stranglehold on Russian politics and the absence of a viable alternative to Putin’s regime.
As millions of Russians cast their ballots for a fifth Putin term, the election exposed the systematic elimination of political rivals and dissenting voices. — BBC
