Russian CEC reports 87% support for Putin. World's reactions

Radio Liberty's Russian service reports.

The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation wrote that Putin's support is 87.34%. As of the morning of March 18, the CEC wrote the following figures for other so-called presidential candidates:

Nikolai Kharitonov - 4.31%.

Vladislav Davankov - 3.79%; and

Leonid Slutsky - 3.19%.

By 6 a.m. Kyiv time, the CEC had "counted" 99.43% of the protocols. The numbers have mostly stayed the same. According to the Russian propaganda news agency TASS, Putin's support at that time was 87.32%.

At the same time, according to CEC statistics, 11,916,181 voters used home voting - a figure more than twice as high as in the previous "presidential election" in 2018.

Putin's result announced by the CEC is the highest for all five times he has run for president of Russia since 2000. In 2018, he was re-elected with 76.7% of the vote. 

The Central Election Commission says that the voter turnout was 74.2%. At the same time, journalists note that the turnout was "faked" in at least a few dozen regions, with polling stations showing the same values. This was recorded in Dagestan, Kemerovo, Belgorod, and Ivanovo regions.

The Golos voters' rights movement reported numerous violations during the voting and vote counting process: ballot stuffing, carousel voting, centralized voting by state employees, etc. Golos called the presidential campaign "the most meaningless" in modern Russia’s history when candidates did not even try to imitate a real desire to run for office and fight for votes.

According to OVD-Info, more than a hundred people were detained in 21 cities during the so-called presidential election in Russia. Most of them were detained in Kazan and Moscow.

The world's reaction to the so-called presidential election in Russia

"The Russian presidential election does not meet international standards. The authorities drowned out all critical voices and opposition candidates in advance," the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized. 

The Czech Foreign Ministry also condemned Putin's "elections" in the occupied territories of Ukraine: "This is another manifestation of Russian aggression against Ukraine."

"Russia's presidential election is not legal, free and fair," the Polish Foreign Ministry said. 

They reminded that the voting took place under conditions of severe repression against the population, which made it impossible to make a free democratic choice. Also, in violation of international law, the "elections" were organized in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine: in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. In addition, the so-called voting was held in Moldovan Transnistria and Georgian regions Tskhinval/South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

“In view of Russia's successive implementation of repressive law, limiting the citizens' rights and freedoms, including political ones, along with war censorship, politically motivated prosecutions, and rejection of anti-war candidates, the "election" may not be considered free and fair.

Poland continues to strongly condemn such measures. We also object to Russia's decision to prevent independent Russian observers from observing the vote and not to invite OSCE observers,” the Polish Foreign Ministry emphasized

Poland emphasized that Warsaw will not recognize the results of the so-called elections in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, the decision to hold which is a blatant violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter, and cannot be seen as anything other than another attempt to undermine Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Therefore, Russia must be held accountable for organizing and conducting them on Ukrainian territory.

"Poland offers its unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within the country's internationally recognised borders. We demand, moreover, that Russia immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops and weapons from the territory of Ukraine. In addition, we reiterate our call for Russia's authorities to immediately release all political prisoners illegally detained in Russia," the statement reads.

"The pseudo-elections in Russia are neither free nor fair, and the result is not surprising. Putin's rule is authoritarian, based on censorship, repression and violence. The "elections" in the occupied territories of Ukraine are invalid and are another violation of international law," the German Foreign Ministry said. 

The White House spokesman at the UN Security Council on Sunday evening spoke about Putin's apparent victory in the pseudo-election, Reuters reports: "The elections are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him."

Venezuela and North Korea have already congratulated Putin on his "victory"

According to the Russian propaganda agency RIA Novosti, Putin has already been congratulated on his victory in the so-called election by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and 

President Xi Jinping has also sent congratulations.

It is noted that in his congratulations to the Russian dictator, he stated that Putin's re-election "fully reflects the support of the people of Russia."

Even though the votes have not yet been fully counted, Putin has also been congratulated by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In particular, Maduro said that "it was an impeccable electoral process" that "demonstrated its democracy in an exemplary way." 

"Our hugs to the entire Russian people and the United Russia party," the Venezuelan president wrote.

In a message to Putin, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the high voter turnout and the results of the vote "once again clearly demonstrated the unconditional trust and strong support of the population for Vladimir Putin's political course and program of socio-economic reforms."

"The leader of our country sincerely wished the Russian President good health, well-being and great success in his state activities, and the people of Russia peace and prosperity," the press service of the President of Uzbekistan said.

In addition, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan called Putin after the "elections". He wished the Russian dictator "success in his presidential activities for the sake of the country's development and prosperity."