Preliminary Results Announce Putin's Victory in the Presidency... Washington Responds

A official opinion poll conducted today, Sunday, showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin received 87 percent of the votes. The White House described the elections as "neither free nor fair," while Ukraine stated that "Putin wants to rule forever." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the Russian presidential elections as a "simulation" lacking legitimacy. In a video address on Sunday, Zelensky stated, "The Russian dictator is simulating another election," pointing out that Putin is "sick with power and does everything to rule indefinitely." He added, "There is no legitimacy in the simulation of these elections... This person must be prosecuted in The Hague. This is what we need to ensure." The White House reiterated on Sunday that the Russian presidential elections "are neither free nor fair" because Putin imprisoned his opponents and prevented others from running against him. The Polish foreign ministry stated that "the presidential elections in Russia are illegal, unfree, and unfair," noting that they took place "in an atmosphere of severe repression" and in the occupied regions of Ukraine, constituting a violation of international law. Putin (71), who has ruled the country for over two decades, is set to begin a new six-year presidential term.