With the election win under his belt, Vladimir Putin stated that Russia wouldn’t be “intimidated” and went on to grow into the longest-serving Russian leader in over 200 years.
The 71-year-old has spearheaded a ruthless assault on anyone who openly opposes his authority or his armed forces offensive in Ukraine, and all of his main opponents are either dead, imprisoned, or exiled.
“I am grateful to all of you and all residents of the country for supporting me and this trust,” Putin said in an early-morning press conference at his Moscow campaign headquarters on Monday, just hours after voting closed.
“No person in history has ever been successful in anything like this, regardless of who or how hard they try to terrify us, no matter whom or how hard they seek to oppress us, our will, our consciousness. It hasn’t worked thus far and won’t work going forward. Never,” he continued.
Putin had received 87% of all votes cast, based on official election data, with over 99 percent of polling places providing the results, state news agency RIA said.
In a presidential race where he had no real opposition, it was a record win.
A spike in lethal Ukrainian bombardments, pro-Kyiv sabotage groups’ intrusions into Russian territory, and damage at polling places were among the events that characterized the three-day election.
The poll, which was also being held in areas under Russian control, was portrayed by the Kremlin as an opportunity for Russians to support the extensive military campaign in Ukraine.
“Drunk from Power”
In his Moscow post-election statement, Putin expressed particular gratitude to Russian forces engaged in combat in Ukraine.
After an entire week in which pro-Ukrainian militias conducted violent raids on Russian border villages and Ukraine mounted one of its biggest air attacks on Russia, he remained unwavering in his claims that his forces had a considerable tactical advantage.
“The Russian military forces own the initiative in its entirety. “In certain regions, our soldiers are simply taking down the opposition,” he remarked.