Putin wins Russian presidential election with over 87% of votes amid criticisms

Vladimir Putin secured a decisive victory in the Russian presidential elections, garnering over 87 percent of votes, according to data published on Monday morning by the official Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation website.

The electoral process, which kicked off on Friday, wrapped up on Sunday, with the results disclosed on the Central Election Commission's website Monday morning after tallying votes from 99.43 percent of the protocols.

The data revealed that Putin clinched the presidential race with 87.32 percent of all votes (as of 11:00 PM Eastern Time).

Following behind, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation's candidate, Nikolai Kharitonov, earned 4.32 percent of the votes. The third spot went to the New People party's Vladislav Davankov, who received 3.79 percent of the votes. In fourth place was the LDPR candidate, Leonid Slutsky, with 3.19 percent of the votes.

"The so-called presidential elections in Russia took place from March 15 to 17, amidst severe repression against society, prohibiting a free, democratic choice," stated the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "These elections cannot be recognized as legal, free, or fair," they emphasized.

The Ministry also noted that the elections were conducted in violation of international law in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

Moreover, voting took place in Moldova's Transnistria and Georgia's regions, South Ossetia/Tskhinvali Region, and Abkhazia. "Such organized 'elections' cannot be recognized as legal, free, or fair," asserted the Ministry's announcement.