Putin Addresses Crowd In Red Square Following Election Victory

Following his victory in an election that Western powers have denounced as fraudulent, President Vladimir Putin celebrated the “return” to Russia of seized Ukrainian territory on Monday with a concert on Red Square.

Over 87 percent of voters cast ballots in the three-day election, which took place in areas of Ukraine seized by Russian forces.

The results of this weekend's presidential election have been used by Moscow to demonstrate that, more than two years after the invasion of Ukraine, Russians are supporting Putin.

It is widely anticipated that Putin's win will strengthen his hold on power in Russia, where criticism is being met with relentlessly escalating persecution.

Having assumed office on December 31, 1999, he is currently on track to become the most tenured Russian president in over 200 years.