Putin re-elected, Modi extends wishes

President Vladimir Putin secured an unprecedented fifth term, as Russian election commission on Monday announced the results of a vote in which he faced no serious challenges.

Putin claimed his overwhelming margin was proof of Russians’ “trust” and “hopes” in him.

Editorial: Putin’s re-election

The results came after Putin unleashed the country’s harshest crackdown on the opposition since Soviet times. Only three token candidates – and no one who opposes his war in Ukraine – were allowed to run against Putin as he sought another six years in power.

With this win, Putin, who has been in power since 2000, will be President till 2030. Results showed that Putin received 87.8 per cent of the vote for his fifth term. He was Prime Minister between 2008 and 2012, when Dmitry Medvedev stood in as President. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated him on his re-election. “Look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia in the years to come,” said the PM in a post on X.

The Chinese Foreign Office said Xi and Putin “will continue to maintain close exchanges, lead the two countries to continue to uphold longstanding good neighbourly friendship and deepen comprehensive strategic coordination”.

Leaders of other allies of Russia such as Iran and Venezuela also congratulated Putin.