after his re-election, Vladimir Putin promises that the country will not be “intimidated”

The Russian head of state won more than 87% of the vote following a vote from which the opposition was excluded.

Just re-elected for a fifth term, Sunday March 17, Vladimir Putin painted the portrait of a Russia “consolidated” by his victory and who will not let himself “intimidate” by his adversaries. The master of the Kremlin, in power for almost a quarter of a century, collected more than 87% of the votes after counting 98% of the polling stations, according to the electoral commission, cited by the official Russian agency Ria Novosti. This is his best result, following a presidential election from which the opposition was excluded.

At the end of the evening, Vladimir Putin thanked those who went to vote and who helped create the conditions for a “internal political consolidation”two years after the start of the assault on Ukraine and the adoption of unprecedented sanctions by the West. “I would like to thank you all, as well as all the citizens of the country, for your support and trust”he told his campaign team.

“It doesn’t matter who wants to intimidate us or how much, no matter who wants to crush us or how much, our will or our conscience. No one has ever succeeded in doing anything like this in history. This has didn’t work today and won’t work in the future.”launched the 71-year-old head of state.

The death of Alexeï Navalny, a “sad event”

Vladimir Putin, who will be able to run again after this new mandate to potentially remain in power until 2036, welcomed in his speech the soldiers fighting in Ukraine, who “risk their lives” For “protect the historical territories of Russia”. He estimated that the Russian forces, on the offensive since the capture of Avdiïvka in mid-February facing a Ukrainian army lacking men and ammunition, had “entirely the initiative” on the front.

In Russia, the authorities left no room for opponents of power: the three other candidates selected were all in line with the Kremlin, whether it was Ukraine or the repression which culminated in death of Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison in February. Vladimir Putin assured that the death of his main detractor was a “sad event” and that he had been favorable to the idea of ​​exchanging it with the West. “There was only one condition: that we trade him so that he doesn’t come back”he said.