Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Sunday against causing a third world war.
In statements carried by Russian media agencies after preliminary results showed a sweeping victory in the presidential elections, Putin said the possibility of a comprehensive conflict with NATO and the presence of Western forces in Ukraine would push the world to the brink of a third world war.
Putin attacked Western policies, confirming the continued advance of the Russian army on various fronts in Ukraine.
Putin stated that his election victory demonstrates how correct Russia was when it adopted its current approach, indicating that his win would allow for the consolidation of Russian society.
He criticized Western policies, saying, “There is no democracy in the West, including the United States.”
In response to statements by French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he confirmed that France would ask Russia for a ceasefire during the Olympics, Putin said his country must complete the tasks associated with the special military operation in Ukraine and strengthen the army’s power, indicating that this is a top priority.
Putin added, “France can play a role in achieving a peaceful solution in Ukraine.”
He mentioned that “Russia needs to be stronger and more effective,” affirming his confidence in accomplishing all plans and achieving all goals.
“We must complete the tasks of the special military operation in Ukraine, and the army must become stronger,” he explained, noting that military forces are advancing there every day.
Commenting on Russians fighting for Ukraine, he said, “There are four groups of 2,500 individuals… and these groups have lost 800 individuals.”
Putin, from his main election headquarters, affirmed that it would never be possible to suppress the will of the Russians from outside.
He pointed out that there are conditions for further progress until Russia becomes stronger and more effective, emphasizing that the source of power in the Russian Federation is the Russian people.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Russian citizens who went to the polling stations and cast their votes in the presidential elections that concluded on Sunday. He added, “A special thank you to our soldiers who spare no effort in defending the homeland.”
The Russian president confirmed that the low number of complaints at the Russian presidential election headquarters reflects the quality of work done, describing the election results as a sign of trust from citizens and their hope for accomplishing everything.
Regarding foreign attempts to interfere in the Russian presidential elections, Putin said, “I think they will act more sophisticatedly, but they will not change their goals regarding the Russian Federation.”
It is noted that independent candidate Vladimir Putin leads the results of the Russian presidential elections after processing 70.03% of the votes nationwide with a percentage of 87.17%, the highest victory margin in post-Soviet Russia, followed by Nikolai Kharitonov with 4.19%, Vladislav Davankov with 4.08%, and Leonid Slutsky with 3.15%, according to the Central Election Commission.
The 2024 presidential election in Russia took place from March 15 to 17, marking the eighth presidential election in the country. Putin is set to be inaugurated on May 7, 2024. The election faced criticism for lack of fairness and freedom, as highlighted by the disqualification of the only explicitly anti-war candidate, Nadezhdin, due to alleged irregularities, and the barring of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny due to a prior conviction. International observers did not expect the election to be free or fair, pointing to increased political repression since the full-scale war with Ukraine began in 2022. The 2020 constitutional amendments allowed Putin, who has served as president longer than any other Russian leader since Josef Stalin, to potentially remain in power until 2036.
