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Tearful Vladimir Putin wins presidency
A tearful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won a six-year term as Russia's president in what he described as an "open and honest" election on Sunday. Tears rolled down the former KGB agent's cheeks as he claimed victory at a rally attended by thousands in Moscow."I promised you we would win. We have won. Glory to Russia," Mr Putin told the rally just metres from the Kremlin in the centre of Moscow. Mr Putin won 58.3 per cent of the vote, enough to avoid a second-round runoff, an exit poll from the state controlled All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) showed. An different exit poll, from the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM), showed Mr Putin won 59.3 per cent of the vote. Official results from most polling stations will be published on Monday. Election observers and opposition politicians reported widespread legal violations at polling stations across the country as Russians cast their ballots. Posted by: tipper 2012-03-04 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=340243 |