"Kremlin Critics Denounce Falsified Election Victory as Putin Claims Win Despite Suppression"

Critics of the recent presidential vote in Russia, won by Vladimir Putin, have decried widespread vote rigging and record falsification, with reports of coercion, ballot stuffing, and falsified votes in Russia-occupied parts of Ukraine and within Russia itself. Independent monitors and analysts have claimed that at least 31.6 million votes for Putin were falsified, marking a new high in vote rigging. The Kremlin's efforts to imitate transparency and openness during the campaign have been criticized, and the vote has been seen as a display of Putin's attempts to legitimize his rule. The shift in public opinion towards pro-war sentiments, fueled by propaganda and economic resilience, has been noted as a factor in the election results.