Putin addresses nation after election --The Russian president has vowed to meet citizens' expectations after receiving over 87% of the vote | 21 March 2024 | The presidential election in Russia has shown that the country remains one big family, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday after securing his fifth term in office. He also thanked the voters for their unprecedented support and vowed to meet their expectations. Earlier in the day, Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) officially declared Putin president-elect, announcing that he had received over 87% of the vote. Last weekend's election recorded a record-high voter turnout that exceeded 77%. Putin is scheduled to be inaugurated on May 7 for another six years in office... The president praised local election authorities for their excellent work. He made specific mention of officials in the former Ukrainian territories that overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in the autumn 2022, saying that they had demonstrated considerable courage.