Russian President Vladimir Putin says his win will make Russia stronger as results project a landslide.
The early result means that Putin looks to have easily won a new six-year term that would enable him to overtake Josef Stalin and become Russia’s longest-serving leader for more than 200 years.
After the win, Putin told reporters that Russia must make its army stronger and that the ‘noon against Putin’ protests had no effect.
The Russian president added that he would do everything he could to solve the tasks of what he termed Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
After election results projected a landslide victory, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised China for its success on the world stage.
He said relations between China and Russia were sustainable and he was sure they would be stronger in the coming years.
Sanctions against China are doomed to fail, he added.
Putin also said there was no democracy in the West, including in the United States, adding that the electoral system is more transparent in Russia than in the U.S., he added.
Putin to reshuffle senior govt roles after election
Following his re-election, Putin is set to reshuffle senior government roles after his election victory, according to reports.
Sources close to the authorities said they expected younger people to be brought in, perhaps as deputy ministers and heads of ministerial departments.
The older generation of government officials are expected to be demoted or retire after the election.
Putin has not made major changes to the government since 2020.
Changes at major state corporations, state energy behemoths and in Russia’s more than 80 regional governorships are also seen as possible.
Top officials likely to retain their posts due to the ongoing Ukraine war are Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov.
Technocratic Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Central Bank Governor, Elvira Nabiullina are also expected to keep their jobs.