ISW explains how Putin will exploit 'record' election results in war against Ukraine

The Institute for the Study of War writes about this.  

American analysts are convinced that Putin is trying to use the claimed "record" voter turnout and support for his candidacy in the presidential "elections" to create information conditions for a prolonged war in Ukraine. 

On March 18, the Russian Central Election Commission announced that Putin had won 87.28% of the vote and won the election. At the same time, the turnout was allegedly 77.44%.

"Putin and senior Russian officials claimed that the reported record voter turnout and high public support for Putin demonstrated Russia’s unity and trust in Putin," ISW noted. 

They also emphasized that according to the CEC, Putin won 88.12% to 95.23% of the vote in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson regions and Crimea. 

"Russian occupation officials have likely falsified record high support for Putin in occupied Ukraine and likely coerced Ukrainian citizens to participate in the elections, which were inherently coercive given the large number of Russian forces operating in occupied Ukraine," ISW noted. 

Putin said that he did not expect such high results and they allegedly show that people in the occupied territories of Ukraine are "grateful for Russian protection."

"Putin is likely continuing efforts to set informational conditions to justify a protracted conflict and long-term occupation of Ukraine under the guise of “protecting” civilians in occupied Ukraine who are only in danger because of the Russian invasion," ISW concluded. 

• Vladimir Putin was "elected" for a new term in the so-called presidential elections in Russia that took place on March 15-17. He has already been congratulated on his "victory" by the leaders of the DPRK, China, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, India, Syria, Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey.