Western Countries Including US White House Condemn 'Unfair Elections'
Russia-Western Conflict Likely to Escalate Ukraine War
Russian President Vladimir Putin has virtually secured a fifth term with an overwhelming 87% support rate in the 2024 Russian presidential election, paving the way for lifelong rule. With this landslide victory reaffirming the justification for the Ukraine war, concerns are growing that President Putin will continue to confront the West and prolong the conflict in Ukraine. The White House, the European Union (EU), and Ukraine have all condemned President Putin, calling the election unfair.
On the 17th (local time), major foreign media outlets reported, citing exit polls from Russian state TV, that President Putin led with the highest vote share of 87% among four candidates.
If confirmed, this vote share would be the highest ever recorded in a Russian presidential election. The previous record was 77%, set by President Putin himself in the 2018 election. The three pro-Putin candidates who ran as 'stooges' in this election each received less than 5% support.
The Russian presidential election took place over three days from the 15th to today. Although vote counting is still underway, President Putin's victory is considered certain. This marks another win for Putin following his victories in 2000, 2004, 2012, and 2018, allowing him to remain in power for another six years until 2030. He has effectively opened the path to lifelong rule as a modern-day czar (emperor). Following a constitutional amendment in 2020, Putin is eligible to run in the 2030 election, theoretically enabling him to stay in power until 2036.
According to the Russian Central Election Commission, the voter turnout in this election was 74%, surpassing the record high turnout of 67.5% in 2018. In six regions of Russia, voter turnout exceeded 90%.
The election outcome was anticipated. Opposition candidates were barred from running for various reasons, and Putin’s biggest rival, Alexei Navalny, died under suspicious circumstances in prison last month. Additionally, there are allegations of election manipulation, as public sector employees were pressured to vote early or online.
The West and Ukraine sharply criticized President Putin following the election results. The White House stated that the Russian election was "clearly neither free nor fair." Charles Michel, President of the European Council, criticized it by saying, "There is no opposition. There is no freedom, and no choice." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Putin on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Russia’s dictator is fabricating another fraudulent election," and added, "The whole world understands this (vote share) number. He is simply addicted to power and is doing everything he can to rule forever."
Despite the Ukraine war dragging on for over two years, President Putin’s landslide victory in the election appears to reaffirm public support for the war’s justification. It is expected that he will strengthen confrontation with the West, which condemns the invasion of Ukraine, and may prolong the conflict. Analysts note that Putin’s confidence in securing victory has increased, especially after Ukraine’s counteroffensive failed last year and the U.S. Congress delayed approval of aid to Ukraine.
Pavel Danalin, chief analyst at the Moscow Political Analysis Center, said, "This election result gives Putin every opportunity to execute even the most difficult scenarios in Ukraine," and assessed, "The historically high (support rate) shows that the vast majority of the people support Putin."
U.S. CNN reported, "After the election, Russia is expected to continue pressuring Ukraine with an increasing advantage."
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