MOSCOW -- Vladimir Putin scored a decisive victory in Russia's
presidential election Sunday, extending his hold on power for six more
years.
His eyes brimming with tears, he defiantly proclaimed to a sea of supporters that they had triumphed over opponents intent on "destroying Russia's statehood and usurping power."
Putin's win was never in doubt as many across the vast country still see him as a guarantor of stability and the defender of a strong Russia against a hostile world, an image he has carefully cultivated during 12 years in power.
Accounts by independent observers of extensive vote-rigging, however, looked set to strengthen the resolve of opposition forces whose unprecedented protests in recent months have posed the first serious challenge to Putin's heavy-handed rule. Another huge demonstration was set for tonight in central Moscow.
Exit polls cited by government television predicted Putin would get about 59% of the vote. With more than 90% of precincts counted nationwide, Putin was leading with 65%, the Central Election Commission said. Complete results were expected today.
Putin claimed victory Sunday night when fewer than a quarter of the votes had been counted.
He spoke to a rally of tens of thousands of supporters just outside the Kremlin walls, many of them government workers or employees of government-owned companies who had been ordered to attend.
"I promised that we would win, and we have won!" Putin, 59, shouted to the flag-waving crowd. "We have won in an open and honest struggle."
He ended his speech with the triumphant declaration: "Glory to Russia!"
Communist Party candidate Gennady Zyuganov was a distant second, followed by Mikhail Prokhorov, the billionaire owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team whose candidacy was approved by the Kremlin in what was seen as an effort to channel some of the protest sentiment.
The clownish nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and socialist Sergei Mironov trailed behind.
"These elections are not free. ... That's why we'll have protests tomorrow. We will not recognize the president as legitimate," said Mikhail Kasyanov, who was Putin's first prime minister before going into opposition.
Protest rallies in Moscow have drawn tens of thousands in the largest outburst of public anger in post-Soviet Russia, demonstrating growing exasperation with the pervasive corruption and tight controls over political life under Putin, who was president in 2000-08 before moving into the prime minister's office because of term limits.
Golos, Russia's leading independent elections watchdog, said it received numerous reports of carousel voting, in which busloads of voters are driven around to cast ballots multiple times.
Putin's campaign chief, Stanislav Govorukhin, rejected the claims of violations, calling them "ridiculous."
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, has become increasingly critical of Putin's rule. "These are not going to be honest elections, but we must not relent," he said after casting his ballot.
SUPPORTERS OF Putin rejoicing
His eyes brimming with tears, he defiantly proclaimed to a sea of supporters that they had triumphed over opponents intent on "destroying Russia's statehood and usurping power."
Putin's win was never in doubt as many across the vast country still see him as a guarantor of stability and the defender of a strong Russia against a hostile world, an image he has carefully cultivated during 12 years in power.
Accounts by independent observers of extensive vote-rigging, however, looked set to strengthen the resolve of opposition forces whose unprecedented protests in recent months have posed the first serious challenge to Putin's heavy-handed rule. Another huge demonstration was set for tonight in central Moscow.
Exit polls cited by government television predicted Putin would get about 59% of the vote. With more than 90% of precincts counted nationwide, Putin was leading with 65%, the Central Election Commission said. Complete results were expected today.
Putin claimed victory Sunday night when fewer than a quarter of the votes had been counted.
He spoke to a rally of tens of thousands of supporters just outside the Kremlin walls, many of them government workers or employees of government-owned companies who had been ordered to attend.
"I promised that we would win, and we have won!" Putin, 59, shouted to the flag-waving crowd. "We have won in an open and honest struggle."
He ended his speech with the triumphant declaration: "Glory to Russia!"
Communist Party candidate Gennady Zyuganov was a distant second, followed by Mikhail Prokhorov, the billionaire owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team whose candidacy was approved by the Kremlin in what was seen as an effort to channel some of the protest sentiment.
The clownish nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and socialist Sergei Mironov trailed behind.
"These elections are not free. ... That's why we'll have protests tomorrow. We will not recognize the president as legitimate," said Mikhail Kasyanov, who was Putin's first prime minister before going into opposition.
Protest rallies in Moscow have drawn tens of thousands in the largest outburst of public anger in post-Soviet Russia, demonstrating growing exasperation with the pervasive corruption and tight controls over political life under Putin, who was president in 2000-08 before moving into the prime minister's office because of term limits.
Golos, Russia's leading independent elections watchdog, said it received numerous reports of carousel voting, in which busloads of voters are driven around to cast ballots multiple times.
Putin's campaign chief, Stanislav Govorukhin, rejected the claims of violations, calling them "ridiculous."
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, has become increasingly critical of Putin's rule. "These are not going to be honest elections, but we must not relent," he said after casting his ballot.
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