With Vladimir Putins opponents in exile, in prison or dead, like outspoken Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny, putins victory is practically certain. If mr putin serves out the full six year term hes likely to win, hell become the longest serving russian leader since catherine the great. Over the next half hour we will look at the impact of the election for those in russia, ukraine and around the world. But first, we start our coverage with this report from our russia editor, Steve Rosenberg in moscow. Russias democracy is the best in the world, the kremlin says. And at Polling Station 38 in moscow, we found a choice of candidates and plenty of voters. Democracy in action, right . Not quite. Realistically, only one man can win this. Vladimir putin the man whos been on russias political stage for the last quarter of a century. Vladimir putin faces no serious challenger. His fiercest rivals are in exile or in prison. Not that this woman, whose son is fighting in ukraine, wants any change a
As the bbc s russia editor Steve Rosenberg reports, mr putin also mentioned his late critic, Alexei Navalny, by name. For Vladimir Putin, six more years in the kremlin. Russias president is sounding more confident than ever. Translation whoever might want to intimidate us, whoever might want to suppress us, ourwilland our conscience, they have never been able to do it, and never will. Then, mr putins first Public Comments on the death ofjailed Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. Translation you may be surprised, but a few days i before mr navalny died, some colleagues of mine told me there was an idea to exchange him for certain people in prison in the west. You can believe it or not. I said, i agree, even before he had finished talking. But what happened, happened. Election results on russian tv, not a hold your breath moment. The winner, by a mile and a half, Vladimir Putin. What an incredible level of support and unity around the figure of putin, he says. And a powerful signal to the
Catherine the great. Over the next half hour we will look at the impact of the election for those in russia, ukraine and around the world. But first, we start our coverage with this report from our russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, in moscow. Russias democracy is the best in the world, the kremlin says. And at Polling Station 38 in moscow, we found a choice of candidates and plenty of voters. Democracy in action, right . Not quite. Realistically, only one man can win this. Vladimir putin the man whos been on russias political stage for the last quarter of a century. Vladimir putin faces no serious challenger. His fiercest rivals are in exile or in prison. Not that this woman, whose son is fighting in ukraine, wants any change at the top. Of course i voted for putin, she says. I trust him. But not everyone who came out today was actually voting. This, one of a string of attacks on Polling Stations across russia. They are unprecedented. After chaotic scenes here. An arsonist is detained. A
For Vladimir Putin, six more years in the kremlin. Russias president is sounding more confident than ever. Translation whoever might want to intimidate us, whoever might want to suppress us, ourwilland our conscience, they have never been able to do it, and never will. Then, mr putins first Public Comments on the death ofjailed Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. Translation you may be surprised, but a few days i before mr navalny died, some colleagues of mine told me there was an idea to exchange him for certain people in prison in the west. You can believe it or not. I said, i agree, even before he had finished talking. But what happened, happened. Election results on russian tv, not a hold your breath moment. The winner, by a mile and a half, Vladimir Putin. What an incredible level of support and unity around the figure of putin, he says. And a powerful signal to the west. But in this race, Vladimir Putin was, from the start, unbeatable. There were other candidates. But no serious ch
As the bbc s russia editor Steve Rosenberg reports, mr putin also mentioned his late critic, Alexei Navalny, by name. For Vladimir Putin, six more years in the kremlin. Russias president is sounding more confident than ever. Translation whoever might want to intimidate us, whoever might want to suppress us, ourwilland our conscience, they have never been able to do it, and never will. Then, mr putins first Public Comments on the death ofjailed Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. Translation you may be surprised, but a few days i before mr navalny died, some colleagues of mine told me there was an idea to exchange him for certain people in prison in the west. You can believe it or not. I said, i agree, even before he had finished talking. But what happened happened. Election results on russian tv, not a hold your breath moment. The winner, by a mile and a half, Vladimir Putin. What an incredible level of support and unity around the figure of putin, he says. And a powerful signal to the w