MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin claimed victory Sunday after cruising to reelection , with authorities reporting high voter turnout in balloting that was widely expected to bring the Russian president a fourth term.
MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin claimed victory Sunday after cruising to reelection , with authorities reporting high voter turnout in balloting that was widely expected to bring the Russian president a fourth term.
From the Arctic to the International Space Station, Russia rolled out an elaborate presidential-election-day spectacle designed to show the breadth of Putin’s public support as he extends his tenure to 2024.
Putin’s opponents on Sunday’s ballot include a nationalist, a Communist, and two liberals. But Putin barely campaigned, opposition activist Alexei Navalny was barred from the ballot, and a landslide victory for Putin appears certain.
With about a third of the ballots counted, more than 73.1 percent were for Putin, according to the Central Election Commission. The runner up was Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin with 15.6 per cent.
Agencies