Insta
Vladimir Putin Wins Fourth Term As Russian President With Record Margin
Swarajya Staff
Mar 19, 2018, 02:18 PM | Updated 02:18 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to lead Russia for six more years after achieving a landslide victory in the presidential elections, the results of which were announced today (19 March).
Amidst several accusations of voting frauds, Putin has won 76 per cent of the vote, 12 per cent greater than his vote share in 2012, as reported by BBC.
The nearest competitor, millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin polled 12 per cent of the votes with celebrity candidate Ksenia Sobchak unable to manage even two per cent.
Putin’s primary opposition, Alexei Navalny was however barred from the polls following an embezzlement case against him, which he has contested.
Addressing a rally in Moscow, following the victory, Putin said that the voters "recognised the achievements of the last few years."
"The percentage that we have just seen speaks for itself. It's a mandate which Putin needs for future decisions, and he has a lot of them to make," a spokesperson for Putin’s campaign team said.
However, the polls saw several incidences of voting fraud surface on social media.
The ballot stuffing seen today in Moscow and elsewhere in the Russian election is an effort to steal the influence of 140+ million people. Demand justice; demand laws and courts that matter. Take your future back. https://t.co/Jh6W8gq7Zx
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 18, 2018
Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Electoral Commission however said that there were no serious violations, promising action against those involved in the recorded incidents.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.