Vladimir Putin secured his fifth term as president of Russia in what he hailed as a landslide victory, despite widespread criticism and condemnation from Western countries over the fairness of the election process.

With more than 87% of the vote, Putin declared Russia’s democracy to be transparent, contrasting it with what he described as flaws in Western democracies.

“This is an incredible level of support and unity around the figure of Vladimir Putin,” said a correspondent reporting on the state-controlled TV channels.

However, the election was marred by accusations of suppression of opposition voices and the absence of credible challengers. Opposition candidate Alexei Navalny, who was under house arrest before his death, had his supporters stage symbolic protests under the banner of “Noon against Putin.” Yet, these protests were unlikely to affect the outcome of the election.

While the Western nations criticized the election as neither free nor fair, Putin remained defiant, citing Russia’s use of online voting, which officials claimed attracted eight million participants.

In response to allegations of irregularities and pressure on public sector employees to vote, Putin praised the opposition for encouraging greater voter turnout but condemned those who spoiled their ballots.

Regarding Navalny, Putin acknowledged discussing a potential exchange with Western prisoners but implied it was too late to prevent Navalny’s fate.

“I said I’m for it but, unfortunately, what happened happened. What can you do? That’s life,” Putin remarked.

Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, participated in the protest vote campaign, queuing for six hours outside the Russian embassy in Berlin and writing her husband’s name on her ballot paper.

While millions of Russians voted for Putin’s fifth term, critics argue that the lack of credible alternatives stems from the Kremlin’s control over the political landscape, resulting in the suppression of opposition voices and the removal of potential challengers.

For now, Putin’s victory extends his reign until at least 2030, reinforcing his status as Russia’s longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin.