Putin wins 5th term, warns of World War 3

Russian President Vladimir Putin won the presidential elections, receiving 87.17 per cent of the votes based on the result of processing 70 per cent of the electoral protocols, Russia-based TASS reported, citing data from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation candidate Nikolai Kharitonov secured the second spot with 4.1 per cent of the votes while New People Party candidate Vladislav Davankov stood third with 4.8 per cent votes.

The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) candidate, Leonid Slutsky, received a mere 3.15 per cent of the votes counted.

According to preliminary data as of 6 pm (Moscow time) on Sunday, the voter turnout in the presidential elections, which for the first time took place over three days from March 15-17, stood at 74.22 per cent.

Voter turnout for the elections held in 2018 was 67.54 per cent.

Putin received more votes in comparison to the 2018 elections where he bagged 76.69 per cent of the total votes counted. The performance of the other candidates was lower than that of the previous competitors of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, according to reports.

Speaking to reporters after emerging victorious, Putin warned the Western powers that any direct conflict between Russia and the NATO alliance, led by the US, would mean the world will be "one step away" from a full-scale World War III, TASS reported.

However, he also said that it is "unlikely" that anyone is interested in this.

Putin also said that he had agreed to a prisoner swap involving Alexei Navalny before the opposition leader's sudden death in an Arctic prison in February.

Calling Navalny's death a 'sad event', Putin said there were other cases of people in prisons passing away.

He also thanked the people of Russia who voted while acknowledging the involvement of those in the ongoing military operations against Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters, Putin said the tasks in his new term include the solution of problems within the framework of the Northern Military District and strengthening the country's defence capability. He stressed that the actions of the Russian military were more than active defence.

Putin has served four terms as Russian President. He was first elected President in 2000 and again in 2004, 2012, and 2018.