Putin wins landslide 88pc of vote

News Snapshot:

While Mr Putin’s re-election is not in doubt given his control over Russia and the absence of any real challengers, the former KGB spy wanted to show that he has the overwhelming support of Russians. Several hours before polls closed at 6pm GMT (5am AEDT), the nationwide turnout surpassed 2018 levels of 67.5 per cent. Supporters of Mr Putin’s most prominent opponent Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison last month, had called on Russians to come out at a “Noon against Putin” protest to show their dissent against a leader they cast as a corrupt autocrat. Yulia Navalnaya,...