Russian President Vladimir Putin won a new six-year term in a presidential election Sunday, according to a state-run exit poll, extending two decades in power that have brought confrontation with the West, military entanglements in the Middle East and economic growth followed by stagnation at home.
Mr. Putin won 73.9% of the vote, according to state-run pollster VTsIOM. His nearest challenger, the Communist Party’s Pavel Grudinin, won 11.2%, the poll said.
The poll puts Mr. Putin on target to eclipse the 63.6% he scored at the last election in 2012.
The result was in little doubt, given that the Kremlin has steadily tightened …read more
Source: The Citizen
