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A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 19 March 2018

Putin heads for big win in fraud-tainted Russian vote

By V. ISACHENKOV stance in world affairs and
JIM HEINTZ alleged interference in the
MOSCOW (AP) — Vladi- 2016 U.S. election. Putin's
mir Putin headed to an main challenge in the elec-
overwhelming win in Rus- tion was to obtain a huge
sia's presidential election margin of victory in order to
Sunday, adding six years claim an indisputable man-
in the Kremlin for the man date. With ballots counted
who has led the world's from 60 percent of the vast
largest country for all of country's precincts, Putin
the 21st century. The vote won more than 75 percent
was tainted by widespread of the vote, the Central
reports of ballot-box stuff- Elections Commission said.
ing and forced voting, but In a short speech to a
the complaints will likely throng of thousands of sup-
do little to undermine Pu- porters near Red Square
tin. His popularity remains late Sunday, Putin hailed
high despite his suppression those who voted for him as
of dissent and reproach a "big national team," add-
from the West over Rus- ing that "we are bound for
sia's increasingly aggressive success."

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to supporters during a rally near the Kremlin in Moscow,
Sunday, March 18, 2018. An exit poll suggests that Vladimir Putin has handily won a fourth term as
Russia's president, adding six more years in the Kremlin for the man who has led the world's largest
country for all of the 21st century.
(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian authorities had tween Russia and the West, the fourth anniversary of
sought to ensure a large with reports that Moscow Russia’s 2014 annexation of
turnout to bolster the im- was behind the nerve- Crimea from Ukraine, one
age that Putin's so-called agent poisoning this month of the most dramatic mani-
"managed democracy" is of a former Russian double festations of Putin’s drive to
robust and offers Russians agent in Britain and that its reassert Russia’s power.
true choices. By 7 p.m. internet trolls had mounted Crimea and Russia’s subse-
Moscow time, authorities an extensive campaign to quent support of separatists
said turnout had hit nearly undermine the 2016 U.S. in eastern Ukraine led to an
60 percent. presidential election. Britain array of U.S. and European
Putin had faced seven and Russia last week an- sanctions that, along with
minor candidates on the nounced tit-for-tat diplo- falling oil prices, damaged
ballot. His most vehement mat expulsions over the spy the Russian economy and
foe, anti-corruption cam- case and the United States slashed the ruble’s value
paigner Alexei Navalny, issued new sanctions. by half. But Putin’s popu-
was barred from running Russian officials denounced larity remained strong, ap-
because he was convicted both cases as efforts to in- parently buttressed by na-
of fraud in a case widely terfere in the Russian elec- tionalist pride. In his next six
regarded as politically mo- tion. But the disputes likely years in office, Putin is likely
tivated. Navalny and his worked in Putin’s favor, re- to assert Russia’s power
supporters had called for inforcing the official stance abroad even more strong-
an election boycott but that the West is infected ly. Just weeks before the
the extent of its success with “Russophobia” and election, he announced
could not immediately be determined to undermine that Russia has developed
gauged. both Putin and traditional advanced nuclear weap-
The election came amid Russian values. ons capable of evading
escalating tensions be- The election took place on missile defenses.q