Putin and the tears of victory ...
Source: Agencies |
March 6, 2012, Tuesday
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Vladimir Putin triumphed in Russia's presidential election and, tears rolling down his cheeks, called his victory a turning point that had prevented the country falling into the hands of enemies.
Putin's opponents complained of widespread fraud, refused to recognize the results and thousands were already gathering last night for protests organizers said would be the biggest since he rose to power 12 years ago.
International election monitors pointed at the lack of real competition and said the vote count "was assessed negatively" in almost a third of polling stations observers visited.
But Putin said he had won a clean victory and was on course to return to the Kremlin after four years as prime minister with almost 64 percent of votes.
"I promised you we would win. We have won. Glory to Russia," Putin, dressed in an anorak and flanked by outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev, told tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters at a late-evening victory rally on Sunday under the red walls of the Kremlin.
Denouncing attempts to "destroy Russia's statehood and usurp power," he said: "The Russian people have shown today that such scenarios will not succeed in our land ... They shall not pass!"
The crowd chanted: "Putin! Putin! Putin!" Some danced to keep warm and drank vodka from plastic glasses, with empty bottles crunching underfoot.
Putin won more than 63 percent of the vote according to the nearly complete official returns.
His nearest rival, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, had about 17 percent of votes, and nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, former parliamentary speaker Sergei Mironov and billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov were all below 10 percent.
Zyuganov said his party would not recognize the result and called the election "illegitimate, dishonest and untransparent." Liberal leader Vladimir Ryzhkov also said it was not legitimate.
Despite the opposition, mainly among well-educated and relatively well-off young professionals, Putin's support remains strong in the provinces and his victory had not been in doubt.
He showed his gratitude in late-night video links with supporters around Russia, including workers at a tank factory in the Urals town of Nizhny Tagil who have denounced the protests.
"You put in their places those people who went one step too far and insulted the working man," Putin told them. "You showed who the Russian people are, the Russian working man, the worker and the engineer. You showed that you are a head higher than any layabout, any old windbag. This was for me the biggest present."
A spokesman later said Putin had wept real tears at the victory rally but said they were caused by the biting wind.
The main challenge for the man credited by many Russians with rebuilding the country's image and overseeing an economic boom in his first presidency, was to win outright in the election, avoiding a runoff by receiving more than 50 percent.
His clear victory will enable him to portray his return to the post he had held from 2000 until 2008 as strong public backing against the protesters, whom he has portrayed as a destabilizing minority and the pawns of foreign governments.
Putin, who will be inaugurated in May, is likely to revert to the fighting talk against the West that was the trademark of his first presidency and his election campaign.
Economists say a key test of Putin's return will be how far he is ready to go to reform an economy heavily dependent on energy exports, and caution that his populist campaign spending promises could return to haunt him.
"It's a watershed - Russia faces decline and stagnation unless they really kick-start reforms, and push forward an ambitious reform agenda," said Tim Ash, head of emerging markets research at Royal Bank of Scotland.
Putin's opponents complained of widespread fraud, refused to recognize the results and thousands were already gathering last night for protests organizers said would be the biggest since he rose to power 12 years ago.
International election monitors pointed at the lack of real competition and said the vote count "was assessed negatively" in almost a third of polling stations observers visited.
But Putin said he had won a clean victory and was on course to return to the Kremlin after four years as prime minister with almost 64 percent of votes.
"I promised you we would win. We have won. Glory to Russia," Putin, dressed in an anorak and flanked by outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev, told tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters at a late-evening victory rally on Sunday under the red walls of the Kremlin.
Denouncing attempts to "destroy Russia's statehood and usurp power," he said: "The Russian people have shown today that such scenarios will not succeed in our land ... They shall not pass!"
The crowd chanted: "Putin! Putin! Putin!" Some danced to keep warm and drank vodka from plastic glasses, with empty bottles crunching underfoot.
Putin won more than 63 percent of the vote according to the nearly complete official returns.
His nearest rival, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, had about 17 percent of votes, and nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, former parliamentary speaker Sergei Mironov and billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov were all below 10 percent.
Zyuganov said his party would not recognize the result and called the election "illegitimate, dishonest and untransparent." Liberal leader Vladimir Ryzhkov also said it was not legitimate.
Despite the opposition, mainly among well-educated and relatively well-off young professionals, Putin's support remains strong in the provinces and his victory had not been in doubt.
He showed his gratitude in late-night video links with supporters around Russia, including workers at a tank factory in the Urals town of Nizhny Tagil who have denounced the protests.
"You put in their places those people who went one step too far and insulted the working man," Putin told them. "You showed who the Russian people are, the Russian working man, the worker and the engineer. You showed that you are a head higher than any layabout, any old windbag. This was for me the biggest present."
A spokesman later said Putin had wept real tears at the victory rally but said they were caused by the biting wind.
The main challenge for the man credited by many Russians with rebuilding the country's image and overseeing an economic boom in his first presidency, was to win outright in the election, avoiding a runoff by receiving more than 50 percent.
His clear victory will enable him to portray his return to the post he had held from 2000 until 2008 as strong public backing against the protesters, whom he has portrayed as a destabilizing minority and the pawns of foreign governments.
Putin, who will be inaugurated in May, is likely to revert to the fighting talk against the West that was the trademark of his first presidency and his election campaign.
Economists say a key test of Putin's return will be how far he is ready to go to reform an economy heavily dependent on energy exports, and caution that his populist campaign spending promises could return to haunt him.
"It's a watershed - Russia faces decline and stagnation unless they really kick-start reforms, and push forward an ambitious reform agenda," said Tim Ash, head of emerging markets research at Royal Bank of Scotland.
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