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Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed victory in presidential elections, with preliminary results awarding him almost 90 per cent of the vote. He had no credible opponent so his fifth term was all but guaranteed.

The election comes just over two years since Mr Putin triggered the deadliest European conflict since World War Two by ordering the invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian human rights defender, Oleksandra Matviichuk, was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for documenting the alleged war crimes committed during the Russian invasion of her country. She gave Newsday her reaction to the Russian presidential result.

"Putin is no longer a president in Russia but a dictator who has usurped power. After this fake election he will go further."

"I'm very worried that if we do not get international military support... we will have more and more deaths [in Ukraine]. There is no international court that can prosecute Putin... that is why we have promoted the idea of creating a special tribunal [for Putin and his associates]."

(Pic: President Putin; Credit: EPA)

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