The world’s despots have hurried to extend their congratulations to Vladimir Putin for his almost certain victory in the Russian election.
Putin has secured another six-year term as president of Russia after winning 87.32% of the votes, with 99.67% of the votes counted.
North Korean media says Kim Jong-un sent his congratulations via his embassy in Russia this morning – unsurprising as North Korea has provided Putin with supplies and munitions for his war in Ukraine.
Putin has also received well-wishes and congratulations from the authoritarian ruler of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.
The presidents of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and Bolivia, Luis Arce, joined the small repressive group hailing Putin’s overwhelming victory amid awkward silence from the West.
Among former Soviet countries, the authoritarian leaders of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, and Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, offered congratulations.
They appeared unfazed by the absence of genuine opposition candidates in the Russian election, with reports of numerous spoiled ballots from ex-pats voting at foreign embassies.
Among the fantastical statistics was the claim of a turnout of 99.8%, including the soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
Actual results of Russians voting in Belgrade found Davankov scored more than six times as many votes as Putin – 67% to 10%.
In Prague, Davankov scored 60% and Putin only 16%.
Putin’s former speechwriter Abbas Gallyamov said ‘no one will believe’ the ‘crazy’ share of the vote declared for the dictator, saying it was clear the vote was rigged.
He added: ‘There is no need to prove anything, it is now an axiom.
‘Just compare the official result with yesterday’s pictures of anti-Putin queues at polling stations, with a huge mass of photos of invalid ballots – and everything becomes clear to you.
’Putin preferred to convince critics that he was strong than supporters that he was honest.
’This is the same logic as in the case of the murder of Navalny and repressions in general. It was the logic of Caligula…Let them not love you, as long as they are afraid.
‘The only problem is that the Russian president can demonstrate his strength exclusively on his own – unarmed – citizens.
’And he broke his teeth on Ukrainians. So he’s not very strong either.’
Putin’s newest term will make him the longest-serving leader of Russia since Joseph Stalin.
.
