As of: March 19, 2024, 4:57 a.m
By: Sonja Thomaser, Jens Kiffmeier, Nail Akkoyun, Florian Naumann, Christian Stör, Daniel Dillmann
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The result was already clear: Putin won the Russian election with a new record result.
But the protest could not be overlooked.
The news ticker.
Result
of the
elections
: Putin receives more than 88 percent of the vote
Speech
after
election
: Vladimir Putin gives victory speech - and talks about Navalny's death
Figures published
: Authorities in Russia provide information on voter turnout
EDITOR'S NOTE:
This ticker has ended.
You can find further developments and reactions to the announcement of Vladimir Putin's election victory in our new news ticker for the Russian election.
Update from March 18, 7:30 a.m.:
The result of the election in Russia speaks volumes: Vladimir Putin received more than 88 percent of the vote and is therefore facing another six-year term.
Nevertheless, there were repeated protests on the sidelines of the election.
Putin made it clear after the election that the authorities would “deal with” those “who destroyed their ballots.”
Vladimir Putin will remain in office for another six years after the Russia election.
© Alexander Zemlianichenko/dpa
Result of the elections in Russia: Putin receives more than 88 percent of the vote
Update from March 18th, 6:30 a.m.:
After a presidential election in Russia that was criticized as a farce, the power apparatus will celebrate Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin as the clear winner this Monday.
After almost all ballot papers were counted, the 71-year-old, who has been in power for around a quarter of a century, was able to collect more than 74 million votes, according to the electoral commission.
That corresponds to more than 88 percent.
candidate |
Voices |
Result (in percent) |
|---|---|---|
Wladimir Putin |
75,932,111 |
88.50 |
Nikolai Kharitonov |
3,737,123 |
4.36 |
Vladislav Davankov |
3,340,921 |
3.89 |
Leonid Slutsky |
2,791,507\t |
3.25 |
(Source: Election authority in Russia. 99.75 percent of votes counted)
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Putin, who has now secured himself in power for at least six more years and, according to the constitution he amended, is allowed to run again in 2030, is likely to present the result, despite all criticism, as confirmation of his anti-Western and authoritarian course.
Participation in the election, which was accompanied by a remarkable wave of protests, was reported at over 74 percent - also a record.
During the vote, however, numerous cases were documented in which employees of state-owned companies were pressured to vote and in some cases even asked to photograph their completed ballot papers.
First numbers on the Russian election: Putin comments – also on Navalny
Update, 10:48 p.m.:
In his victory speech after the Russia election, Vladimir Putin also indirectly responded to the silent protests in the country.
He called the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny a “sad incident.”
As several news agencies consistently reported, the Russian President also commented on the rumors about a possible prisoner exchange.
According to reports, Putin found out about the idea a few days before Navalny's death - and agreed to it.
In his opinion, the Kremlin critic should never have returned to Russia.
The opposition figure died in a Russian prison camp a few weeks before the election with a cause of death that was still unknown.
On Sunday there were protests by his supporters in many places across the country.
Elections in Russia: Putin gives victory speech – and talks about Navalny’s death
Update, 10 p.m.:
After the election in Russia, Vladimir Putin gave a “victory speech”.
After the polls closed, the president said, according to
Sky News
, that his triumph in the presidential election would now be confirmed.
His victory will allow Russia to consolidate society and become “stronger and more effective.”
“No one will ever oppress Russia if we are consolidated,” Putin said after the Russia election and thanked citizens for their “support and trust.”
A third of the votes counted in the Russian election: voter turnout over 70 percent
Update, 8:56 p.m
.: 36.3 percent of polling stations in Russia have been counted and, according to these first partial results from the State Election Commission, Vladimir Putin is the clear winner of the presidential election in Russia.
Ella Pamfilova, head of the electoral commission, said 87.47 percent of voters voted for Putin.
“Russia has made its choice,” Pamfilova said.
The voter turnout was 74.22 percent.
Update, 8:39 p.m
.: According to election officials, Vladimir Putin received 99.28 percent of the votes cast in the Chechen Republic.
Navalny team on Russia election: “Percentages invented for Putin”
Update, 8:10 p.m
.: The preliminary results of the Russian presidential election, which give Vladimir Putin almost 88 percent of the vote, have been questioned by the team of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who died in custody.
Leonid Volkov, a close confidant and former chief of staff of Navalny, commented on this issue on the online service Telegram on Sunday.
“The percentages invented for Putin clearly have nothing to do with reality,” he clarified.
Volkov was one of Navalny's closest contacts.
Update, 7:49 p.m
.: After the first partial results of the presidential election in Russia were announced, Poland criticized the vote as “not legal”.
“Russia’s presidential election is not legal, free and fair,” said the Foreign Ministry in Warsaw on Sunday evening.
The election was held “under severe repression” and in occupied parts of Ukraine in violation of international law.
Zelenskyj reacts to Putin's success in elections in Russia
Update, 7:33 p.m
.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has denied “any legitimacy” to the presidential elections in Russia and the renewed success of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
“This election fraud has no legitimacy and cannot have any,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Sunday.
“This figure (Putin) must end up in the dock in The Hague – we must ensure that, everyone in the world who values life and decency.”
Putin has been faking another election these days.
“It is clear to everyone in the world that this character, as so often in history, is simply obsessed with power and will do anything to rule for life,” Zelensky said.
“There is no evil that he will not commit to prolong his personal power.”
Update, 7:20 p.m
.: The first results for Putin's challenger are now known.
According to the FOM opinion research institute, Vladislav Davankov received 3.76 percent of the vote, Nikolai Kharitonov 3.86 percent and Leonid Slutsky 2.97 percent.
This is far less than previously forecast.
Historic result for Putin – First projections of the elections in Russia
Update, 7 p.m
.: The polling stations are closed and the first results have just been announced.
Unsurprisingly, President Vladimir Putin scores a landslide victory.
According to the state polling institute VTsiom, President Vladimir Putin is in the lead with 87 percent of the vote.
According to the FOM pollster, his margin is 87.8 percent.
It was already certain in advance that Putin would secure another six-year term in office in the presidential election that began on Friday.
Three insignificant candidates ran against him.
All of the Kremlin leader's best-known critics are either dead, imprisoned or in exile.
Current news about the Russian election: Alexei Navalny's widow surprisingly in the Russian embassy in Berlin
Update, 6:44 p.m
.: The widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, says she wrote her late husband's name on the ballot paper in the Russian presidential election.
She said this on Sunday in Berlin after taking part in the election at the Russian embassy there.
Navalnaya unexpectedly joined the queue in front of the embassy and then entered the area in the early evening.
Shortly afterwards she left again.
Overview of voter turnout in Russian elections
Year |
Result |
2000 |
68.6% |
2004 |
64.3% |
2008 |
69.7% |
2012 |
65.3% |
2018 |
67.5% |
Update, 6:39 p.m.:
Shortly before the results were announced, Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev and his wife also cast their votes in Berlin.
The wife's choice of color is surprising: she wears a scarf in the colors of the Ukrainian flag: blue and yellow.
The Russian Foreign Ministry later explained that it was a colorful scarf with the colors black, yellow, white and blue.
Election in Russia: Widow of Alexei Navalny in the Russian embassy in Berlin
Update, 6:13 p.m.:
An hour before the result was announced, the widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, entered the Russian embassy in Berlin.
On Sunday afternoon, she unexpectedly joined the queue of people who wanted to cast their vote in the Russian presidential election.
In the early evening she entered the embassy premises, as a reporter from the
German Press Agency
observed.
Update, 5:48 p.m.:
Another incident in the elections in Russia: an attempted attack failed a few hours before the results were announced.
A woman tried to set off a firecracker at a polling station in Perm, reports the dpa news agency.
However, the 64-year-old injured herself.
According to the report, the explosive device she detonated in a toilet tore her hand away.
Since the first day of the three-day Russian election, protests have flared up again and again in many places.
A large proportion of the opposition accuses the Kremlin of massive election fraud.
Putin's results in the previous Russian elections with him as a candidate
Year |
Result |
|---|---|
2000 |
52.9% |
2004 |
71.3% |
2012 |
64.4% |
2018 |
76.7% |
Massive anti-Putin protests over the Russia election: people also take to the streets in Bonn
Update, 4:45 p.m.:
Hundreds of people protested against Russian President Vladimir Putin in front of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn on Sunday.
A queue of more than 1,000 people had formed in front of the building who wanted to cast their votes in the Russian presidential election, a spokesman for the Bonn police said on Sunday.
Around 250 people protested against Putin in front of the consulate and around 25 people demonstrated for him.
Overall, the demonstrations were peaceful, said the police spokesman.
Only a few reports of insults were written.
Due to the large number of voters, the square had to be temporarily closed.
An emergency lane had to be kept clear for a hospital behind the consulate.
Elections in Russia: Putin under pressure – arrests of Kremlin opponents reported
Update, 3:39 p.m.:
Tough reaction to protest: The first arrests were made in the elections in Russia, which were overshadowed by allegations of manipulation.
At least 75 people are said to have been detained by the police on the sidelines of anti-Putin actions, the Ovd-Info organization reported on Sunday, according to the
AFP
news agency .
The majority of the arrests took place in Kazan, but overall skirmishes with security forces were reported in 17 Russian cities.
The support team of the late Kremlin critic Alexei Nawanly had called for protests on Sunday afternoon.
First election result in Russia: Commission announces desired record turnout
Update, 3:03 p.m.:
So now: Vladimir Putin has announced the record voter turnout that he had wanted from the start.
According to the Central Election Commission, turnout reached 70.1 percent: a historic record for presidential elections in Russia.
In the densely populated east of the country, voter turnout is said to have been over 75 percent.
Update, 2:04 p.m.:
The polling stations in the far east of Russia are already closed.
In the west, voting will continue until 7 p.m. CET.
The first numbers on voter turnout paint a sobering picture for Vladimir Putin.
According to the state-controlled
Tass
news agency , 65 percent of all eligible voters cast their votes around midday.
That would be fewer than six years ago.
However, it can be assumed that the voter turnout in the evening will be even higher.
Update, 1:15 p.m.:
CNN
has confirmed protests against Putin on election day in Russia.
At 12 o'clock sharp, long queues appeared in front of several polling stations in Moscow.
“This is the first time in my life that I have seen a queue in front of a polling station,” a citizen of the capital told the US news channel.
It is unclear how many polling stations across the country the “lunch against Putin” will take place.
Update, 12.35 p.m.:
It's not just in Russia that people are demonstrating against the election of President Vladimir Putin.
Protesters are also gathering in front of the Russian embassies in numerous countries.
According to the Moscow Times, around 1,000 people took part in “Lunch against Putin” in The Hague.
In Berlin, Julia Navalnaya, the widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, attended the protest in front of the embassy.
Update, 11:25 a.m.:
Long lines are apparently forming at several polling stations in Russian cities.
This is reported by the
Moscow Times
news portal .
The large crowds are also said to be partly connected to the “Lunch against Putin” protest - for example in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.
On the last day of the Russian election, the public prosecutor's office in the capital warned the population against taking part in rallies of any kind and threatened prison sentences of up to eight years.
This is reported by the US portal
Newsweek
.
Elections in Russia: “Lunch against Putin” begins
Update, 10:09 a.m.:
Protests are said to have occurred in other places in Russia on the last day of the presidential elections.
This is reported by the team of the recently deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
In Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Irkutsk, Yekaterinburg and other cities, several hundred people are said to have taken part in the “Lunch Against Putin” campaign.
The Navalny team reported this on its YouTube channel.
The campaign had called on Navalny's widow, Julija Navalnaya, to disrupt the course of the allegedly manipulated Russian election.
Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who lives in exile in Great Britain, also took part in the call to protest against Putin.
“At the 'Lunch against Putin' campaign we can look each other in the eyes, see like-minded people and experience that those who are against Putin are numerous.
We have the majority,” Khodorkovsky said in his video call.
Update, 8:22 a.m.:
Vladimir Putin's victory cannot be taken away from him in the Russian election in the country he rules authoritarianly.
Bill Browder, British entrepreneur and human rights activist in Russia, is also convinced of this.
Putin will rule “until the end of his life” if he is not overthrown.
But the pressure on the Russian president will increase in his fifth term in office.
“Putin has nothing to offer people other than death or prison,” the businessman, who was expelled from Russia in 2005, told the
AFP
news agency .
Update from March 17th, 6:15 a.m.:
This Sunday is the third and final day of the presidential election in Russia, which has been accompanied by allegations of manipulation.
The Kremlin designed the vote to demonstrate the supposed great trust in Vladimir Putin and support for his war against Ukraine.
The vote is intended to secure him a fifth term in office until 2030.
Russia election in occupied territories: explosion in Ukrainian city of Berdyansk
Update, 10:55 p.m.:
According to Ukrainian media reports, an explosion occurred in a school that had been converted into a polling station in the occupied Ukrainian city of Berdyansk.
“Locals reported hearing a single explosion.
It seems that an unpleasant incident for the intruders occurred in Berdyansk High School No. 2, also known as School No. 10,”
RBC Ukraina
channel quoted the Ukrainian military administration in charge of the city as saying.
Allegations of fraud in elections in Russia: Explosive video from Krasnodar
Update, 9:20 p.m.:
On the second day of the Russian election, there are increasing reports of election manipulation on the one hand - and of protests and arrests on the other.
Already by morning, 15 criminal cases had been opened for “obstructing the work of election commissions,” the
Meduza
portal reported , citing
Novaya Gazeta
.
There are known cases of people pouring substances into ballot boxes to make counting impossible.
But Meduza
also reported cases in which voters wrote words like “boycott” in voter rolls or on ballot papers.
The regime in Moscow apparently wants to prevent further protests: Readers apparently told the portal that they had received messages from bots on messenger services that accused them of supporting “extremist ideas” and asked them to vote “without waiting in line” – probably a reference to the one on Sunday planned campaign “Lunch against Putin”.
Attacks on Russia during Putin's elections: Voters react inconsistently
Update, 7:15 p.m.:
Attacks on the Belgorod and Kursk regions overshadow the carefully staged elections to confirm Vladimir Putin as President of Russia: According to authorities, two people were killed by Ukrainian shelling in the city of Belgorod on Saturday.
Several Ukrainian attacks with drones, rockets and cruise missiles on Belgorod and the Kursk border region were repelled throughout the day.
In addition, Russian troops prevented the penetration of “Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups” into Russia.
Election in Russia: Authorities surprise with first voter turnout level
Update, 4:27 p.m.:
In the run-up to the Russian election, the Kremlin seemed to be worried about voter turnout - now the authorities are reporting high numbers early on.
At 4 p.m. Moscow time (2 p.m. CET) on Saturday, more than one in two eligible voters had already cast their vote either at a polling station or online, said the deputy head of the Russian Election Commission, Nikolai Bulayev, according to the Interfax agency.
The election lasts three days and ends on Sunday.
“Noon against Putin”: Large protest planned for the Russian election on Sunday
Update, 2:28 p.m.:
Kremlin critics want to disrupt the elections in Russia with a large protest on Sunday in Moscow.
Under the motto “Lunchtime against Putin,” crowds of people are expected to show up at the polling stations and form long lines.
The aim is to draw attention to the discontent in the country.
Potential participants from Moscow are now receiving warning messages in advance.
It includes a request to take part in the election “quietly” – “without queues and provocations”.
Election in Russia: Putin casts his vote and waves at the camera
Update, 9:35 p.m.:
Russian President Vladimir Putin cast his vote online on the first day of the presidential election in his country.
Footage distributed by the Kremlin showed the longtime Russian leader walking to a desk and sitting down at a computer against a backdrop of two Russian flags, before the message "Thank you, you voted successfully" appeared on the screen.
The Kremlin chief then waves into the camera.
Elections have begun in Russia: Putin is already receiving “congratulations”
Update, 5 p.m.:
The presidential elections in Russia continue.
Because the winner of this much-criticized vote has basically been determined, EU Council President Charles Michel sent ironic congratulations to Moscow as a precaution.
“I would like to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his landslide victory in the elections starting today,” Michel mocked on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
“No opposition.
No freedom.
No choice,” he added.
And Russia's power apparatus itself isn't trying too hard to maintain the illusion of an exciting election: preparations for Putin's big victory celebration this Monday have been underway on Red Square for days.
Update, 3:30 p.m.:
There are also apparently protests by exiled Russians in Germany against Putin and the election in Russia.
Supporters of the late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny have called for a “lunch against Putin” in Berlin, among others.
The “FreeNavalny” alliance told IPPEN.MEDIA
that they plan to appear at polling stations with flash mobs and disrupt the voting process
.
Update, 10:02 a.m.:
The border region of Belgorod came under fire from Ukraine on the first day of the Russian election.
This was announced by the Russian state news agency
Ria Novosti
.
Seven rockets were fired.
Many people would have had to leave the polling stations.
According to
Tass
, all polling stations in Russia are now open.
“Neither free nor fair” - West speaks of vote manipulation in Russia election
Update from March 15, 7:50 a.m.:
Western foreign policy experts have described the elections in Russia as “neither free nor fair.”
This emerges from a letter signed by the chairmen of the foreign committees from more than 20 countries and quoted from the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
.
The statement was initiated by the chairmen of the foreign committees in the Baltic states and by Michael Roth (SPD), the chairman of the corresponding committee in the Bundestag.
Election begins in Russia: 112 million people called to the polls
First report from March 14, 2024:
Moscow - 112 million eligible voters in an election that lasts three days and spans eleven time zones.
The Russia election is one of the biggest ballots of 2024, but the winner has long been determined.
President Vladimir Putin is heading for his fifth term in office.
The 71-year-old politician, who has held various positions at the head of Russia since 2000, has long since silenced the opposition.
Real opposing candidates are not allowed in the Russia election.
So überrascht es kaum, dass Wladimir Putin die Umfragen zur Russland-Wahl dominiert. Offen scheint nur, mit welchem Ergebnis der Präsident im Amt bestätigt werden wird. Viel wichtiger für den Kreml dürften deshalb zwei andere Faktoren werden. Kann der Präsident ein neues Rekord-Ergebnis nach dem Wahlgang verkünden? Bei seinem ersten Sieg im Jahr 2000 holte Putin nur 52,9 Prozent aller Stimmen. Bei der letzten Russland-Wahl waren es schon 76,7 Prozent. Diesmal soll das Ergebnis nördlich der 80 Prozent liegen.
Der andere wichtige Faktor für Wladimir Putin bei der Russland-Wahl ist die Wahlbeteiligung. Mit allen Mitteln versucht der Präsident, diese nach oben zu treiben. Mit einer hohen Beteiligung soll der Anschein der demokratischen Strukturen gewahrt und der alleinige Führungsanspruch Putins mitten im Ukraine-Krieg gefestigt werden.
Die höchste Wahlbeteiligung seit den 2000er Jahren gab es ausgerechnet bei der Wahl, bei der nicht Putin, sondern sein Vertrauter Dmitri Medwedew angetreten war: Im Jahr 2008 beteiligten sich 69,7 Prozent aller Berechtigten an der Wahl. Putin erzielte sein bestes Ergebnis in dieser Statistik bei seiner ersten Wahl im Jahr 2000, als 68,6 Prozent zur Urne gingen.
Aufgrund etlicher Repressionen gegen jegliche Opposition ist Widerstand oder Protest gegen die Russland-Wahl nur wenig zu erwarten. Gänzlich ausgeschlossen ist beides aber nicht. Vor allem in den westlich gelegenen Metropolen des Landes wie Moskau und Sankt Petersburg könnten einzelne Aktionen den Ablauf der Wahlen stören.
Nawalnaja ruft zu Protest gegen Putin bei Russland-Wahl auf
Unter anderem Julija Nawalnaja hatte zum Protest gegen Putins Wahl aufgefordert. Die Witwe des kürzlich im Straflager verstorbenen Kreml-Kritikers Alexej Nawalny rief die Menschen in Russland dazu auf, alle am selben Tag zur selben Uhrzeit zum Wahllokal zu gehen. Dadurch könne man die Wahllokale überlasten und ein Zeichen des demokratischen Widerstands bei einer undemokratischen Wahl setzen. Den Aufruf betitelte Nawalnaja mit „Mittag gegen Putin“.
Wie viele Leute sich letztlich trauen werden, Kritik an Putin im Rahmen der Russland-Wahl zu äußern, bleibt offen. Der Machtapparat im Kreml hat in den vergangenen Jahren den Umbau des Landes zu einem autoritären Staat vorangetrieben. Kritik an Putin oder am Ukraine-Krieg wird mit Gefängnis bestraft. Dennoch besuchten tausende Menschen trotz Warnungen der Behörden die Beerdigung Nawalnys und nutzten das Begräbnis zum stillen Protest an Putin.
Der Präsident selbst meldete sich am Donnerstag (14. März), einen Tag vor Beginn der Russland-Wahl zu Wort. „Lassen Sie mich deutlich sagen, dass die Teilnahme an den Wahlen heute eine Demonstration von Patriotismus ist“, sagte Putin laut einer Meldung der AFP im russischen Staats-TV.
Russland-Wahl findet auch in besetzten Teilen der Ukraine statt
The presidential election begins on Friday (March 15) but not only in Russia.
People in the occupied territories of Ukraine should also confirm Vladimir Putin in office.
Around 4.5 million people are called to vote there.
In addition, around two million people abroad can take part in the Russian election.
The polling stations close on Sunday at 7 p.m. German time.
A result is announced in the hours afterwards.
(talk to agencies)