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Russia elections: Navalny's widow Yulia thanks anti-Putin protesters as she casts vote in Berlin - BBC News Russia elections: Navalny's widow Yulia thanks anti-Putin protesters as she casts vote in Berlin - BBC News
(32 minutes later)
You could be forgiven for not noticing there were three other candidates on the ballot. The polls have now closed across Russia, so let's take a moment to review what's happened today:
That's because none of the three were credible opponents as they were all authorised by the Kremlin and have all steered clear of criticising Putin. As expected, exit polls have shown Russian President Vladimir Putin heading for a fifth term, with nearly 88% of the vote
The only real Kremlin critics are either in exile, in jail, or are now dead. One Russian state TV correspondent labelled the win as a signal to Western countries
Communist Nikolai Kharitonov is on course for 4.6-4.7% of the vote according to the two exit polls. Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia were included in voting, and the electoral commission awarded Putin victories ranging from 88% to 94% in those areas
Deputy parliamentary speaker Vladislav Davankov is projected to win 3.6%-4.2%. Opposition to Putin is dangerous in Russia, and at least 80 protesters were arrested across the country today
Leonid Slutsky of the nationalist LDPR is set to come fourth with 2.5-3%. The widow of Russia's opposition leader, Yulia Navalnaya cast her vote in Berlin, writing her late husbands name on the ballot
One man who did attract popular support, Boris Nadezhdin, was barred from running a month before the election. Navalnaya had called for Russians who oppose Putin to arrive at polling stations at midday, and there were clear spikes in voter numbers registered in several cities including Moscow and St Petersburg
Western governments have reacted to Putin's projected win, with Germany calling the election "neither free, nor fair" and the US highlighting that Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him
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