Russia’s President Vladimir Putin secured his fifth presidential election victory by a substantial margin, capturing 88% of the votes. Reports from the Times of India reveal that the communist candidate, Nikolai Kharitonov, trailed in second place with just under 4%, followed by Vladislav Davankov in third, and Ultra-Nationalist Leonist Slutsky in fourth.
Reacting to Putin’s triumph, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations via his official account on X (formerly Twitter), applauding Putin’s fifth Russian Presidential Election win and expressing eagerness to strengthen the partnership between India and Russia.
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1769695046268309797
However, Putin’s victory has drawn severe criticism from Western countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, who denounced it as ‘unfair’ and ‘illegal’. They accused Putin of securing his win through unjust means, including the imprisonment of opposition leaders.
The White House National Security Council, quoted by Reuters, asserted, “The elections are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred to Putin as a person “sick with power,” denouncing the election as a farce. Former UK Prime Minister and current Foreign Minister David Cameron alleged that the “polls have closed in Russia, following the illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory,” criticizing the lack of voter choice and independent monitoring.
The German Foreign Ministry labeled Putin’s rule as “authoritarian,” condemning his reliance on “censorship, repression & violence” and declaring the elections in the occupied territories of Ukraine as null and void, citing another breach of international law.
Despite the criticism, Putin defended the Russian electoral system, asserting that it is “more transparent than the United States” and expressing confidence that his victory “will allow Russia to become stronger and more effective.”