After a presidential election accompanied by allegations of manipulation, Russian state media have predicted a record result of at least 87 percent of the vote for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. Russian state television declared the 71-year-old the winner on the basis of voter surveys conducted by several pro-Kremlin institutes. In the vote on Putin's fifth term in office, which was accompanied by numerous protest actions, no real opposition candidates were allowed.

Voter turnout was 73.33 percent at 8 p.m. Moscow time, according to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Russia's state-run Tass news agency reported. This would be the highest figure ever in a Russian presidential election. The first meaningful results are expected to be available this Monday. As a rule, the forecasts are in line with the result announced at the end. It would be a record for Putin, who won 76.7 percent of the vote in 2018.

The result had already been determined before the election, and there was no significant opponent. Serious members of the opposition have either had to flee abroad, are in prison camps or have died under unclear circumstances. Observers criticized the election as unfree and unfair. Opposition and independent Russian media reported on manipulation and intimidation attempts in the context of the election. The civil rights portal OWD-Info has so far counted 77 arrests in connection with the election. Voting was also held in the territories occupied in Ukraine in violation of international law, and the elections there are not recognised under international law.

Although Putin's confirmation in office was only a formality, the election is nevertheless important for the Kremlin. The high approval ratings give him legitimacy for the drastic action in Ukraine as well as against opponents of the regime in his own country.

Putin is now likely to present the result as a confirmation of his anti-Western and authoritarian course. Observers expect that with this backing, he will once again significantly step up his war of aggression against Ukraine for the next six years in office. Many Russians also fear a new mobilization of hundreds of thousands of reservists. Domestically, too, the thumbscrews in the country could be tightened much more in order to stifle the protest of Putin's opponents, which was visible on the three election days. Tax increases have also been announced to finance the high expenditure on the war and social policy projects.

The election was accompanied by protests. Despite threats from the Kremlin, thousands of Russian citizens heeded the call of the team of the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny and arrived at the polling stations around noon, where long beatings subsequently formed. Independent observers pointed to systematic fraud in the election. Since the first day of voting on Friday, for example, there have been numerous documented cases in which, for example, employees of state-owned companies were pressured to cast their votes and in some cases even had to take photos of their completed ballot papers. Critics also complained that the online procedure in particular could be easily manipulated. Observers also documented the mass stuffing of pre-filled ballot papers into the ballot boxes.

Make no mistake, this was expected to happen. In the end of the day for the war in Ukraine all what Putin has to do would be to apologize, similar as Rishi Sunak stated clearly that the conservative donor of £15m apologise and that all is OK despite that the Tory donor Frank Hester stated clearly publicly that Diane Abbott (Labour MP) should be shot because her ugly black skin which make him sick!