Putin's World War Three warning after landslide election victory - despite thousands joining polling station protests
18 March 2024, 11:28 | Updated: 18 March 2024, 11:56
Vladimir Putin wins a fifth term in the Kremlin with a landslide result of 87%, according to Russian officials.
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The results have set up Putin for another six years in office, making him one of the longest serving Russian leaders having already led for 24 years.
No credible opposition candidates were allowed to stand in the heavily criticised election - with a ruthless crackdown on opposing voices.
On Monday, Putin warned conflict between Russia and the US-led NATO military alliance would mean the world was one step away from World War Three, but said hardly anyone wanted such a scenario.
The president has also said any "crimes" committed by protesters will be punished.
The election comes shortly after opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in a Siberian prison - with many believing that he was killed by Russian security apparatus last month.
His widow, Yulia Navalnya, led protests in Moscow on Sunday by crowding polling places on the third and final day of voting.
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The "sham" election has been criticised due to opposition parties being banned and candidates taken off the ballot.
Despite the threat, hundreds headed to the polls en masse to vote against Putin and in Navalny's memory.
Russia’s Central Election Commission said that with nearly 100% of all precincts counted, Putin got 87.29% of the vote.
Putin has led Russia as president or prime minister since December 1999, a tenure marked by international military aggression and an increasing intolerance for dissent.
'Pseudo-election'
Western countries have slammed the results of the election as there were no other credible options for voters, with Germany describing it as a "pseudo-election".
Volodymyr Zelensky has described Russia's presidential election as an illegitimate "imitation".
In his nightly video address, the Ukrainian president said Putin was "drunk from power" and that there was "no evil" he would not commit to prolong his term."
"This person should be on trial in The Hague", he said.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: "This is not what free and fair elections look like" following the results.
Charles Michel, president of the European Council, wrote: “Would like to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his landslide victory in the elections starting today. No opposition. No freedom. No choice.”
