Vladimir Putin Secures 5th Term , as Russia’s President.
On March 18, Russia's Central
Election Commission confirmed that
Putin won reelection by a landslide.
He reportedly received over 87% of the vote.
Countries that congratulated him include
Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, North Korea,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
However, critics say that Putin
didn't have any credible opposition,
and free speech against him was stifled.
For example, Alexei Navalny, a fierce opponent of Putin's, died last month in an Arctic prison, and his other critics have either been jailed or exiled, 'USA Today' reports. .
For example, Alexei Navalny, a fierce opponent of Putin's, died last month in an Arctic prison, and his other critics have either been jailed or exiled, 'USA Today' reports. .
Independent media outlets
have also been shuttered. .
The elections took place in an
ever-shrinking political space, which
has resulted in an alarming increase
of violations of civil and political rights.., Josep Borrell, the European Union's
top foreign policy official, via statement.
... and precluded many candidates
from running, including all those opposed to
Russia’s illegal war of aggression, deprived
Russian voters of a real choice and heavily
limited their access to accurate information, Josep Borrell, the European Union's
top foreign policy official, via statement.
The United States referred to the
vote as "neither free nor fair," while
Germany called it a "pseudo-election.".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Putin is "sick with power and is doing everything in his power to rule forever.".
Putin is currently Russia's "longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin," 'USA Today' reports.