Exit polls show Putin re-elected with overwhelming majority

Vladimir Putin secured a widely expected victory in the Russian presidential election on Sunday with 87.8% of the vote according to Russian state exit polls.

The exit poll published by state-controlled pollster FOM showed Communist Party candidate Nikolay Kharitonov in second place with 4.7% of the vote, while Vladislav Davankov of the centre-right New People Party came in third with 3.6%. Leonid Slutsky of the far-right Liberal Democratic Party of Russia came in last with 2.5%.

As the polls closed, the Central Election Commission reported the turnout at 74.22%, the highest in Russia’s history.

The presidential election, held in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories, was the first in Russia’s history to be held over three days, from Friday to Sunday. Citizens were also able to cast their vote online in 27 regions as well as in occupied Crimea.

Thousands of people lined up near polling stations and embassies on Sunday at noon to take part in the Noon Against Putin campaign, designed to show the mass turnout of opposition voters. At least 74 people were detained in Russia on Sunday for showing up to vote at noon, human rights group OVD-Info reported.

The election was also marked by numerous cases of sabotage, with people pouring dye into ballot boxes or attempting arson at polling stations. At least 61 criminal cases were opened across the country for “election-related violations”, a Russian Interior Ministry representative said on Sunday evening.