Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Image: AP) Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice David Cameron has denounced the
election in
Russia which saw
Vladimir Putin tighten his grip on power following the stifling of any real opposition. The Foreign Secretary said "this is not what free and fair
elections look like" after early results on Sunday showed the
Russian president won nearly 88% of the vote. The result, recorded by Russia's Central Election Commission, would be a record for Mr Putin, extending his nearly quarter-of-a-century rule for another six-year term. Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron. (Image: (Stoyan Nenov/PA)) Read More Related Articles Cops hunting gang after stealing e-bike and assaulting man and woman Read More Related Articles World's hottest city now so hot it's unliveable - and the streets have air-con Mr Putin faced competition from only three candidates who had not criticised his rule nor his invasion of Ukraine. All serious challengers were wiped out before voting began. Arch foe Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic
prison last month. Other critics are either in jail or in exile. Meanwhile, independent monitoring of the election was extremely limited, with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) not invited to observe the three-day vote. Lord Cameron tweeted: "The polls have closed in Russia, following the illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory, a lack of choice for voters and no independent OSCE monitoring. Join the Daily Record
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BREAKING news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "This is not what free and fair elections look like." Earlier on Sunday, before the exit poll, Cabinet minister Mark Harper also said Russia's elections were neither free nor fair on Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips. He said: "I don't think people have any illusion about whether they're free or fair, and it's particularly reprehensible that they're trying to conduct those elections in parts of
Ukraine, which is the sovereign state which Vladimir Putin has invaded." Asked whether the
UK would recognise Mr Putin's regime, the Transport Secretary said: "We of course have diplomatic relations with Russia, but we make our position to them very clear about their invasion of Ukraine." Read More Related Articles Moment brazen bike thief swipes cycle in Scots city as
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volcano erupts again 'without warning' as lava spews hundreds of feet in the air Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, a former secretary-general of
NATO, told the BBC's The Westminster Hour the West should not be intimidated by Mr Putin. He said: "I think that Putin is likely to double down again, he'll claim this as a boost for himself and an endorsement for the
MILITARY action he has taken". He said while western nations get "spooked" by Mr Putin's threat of using
nuclear weapons, "we should not be intimidated by nuclear blackmail" because "he knows that we have got means of retaliating". Russian nationals living in the
United Kingdom took to polling stations on Sunday to spoil presidential election ballots in protest against Mr Putin. The Russian
Democratic Society - described as a community of Russian immigrants in the UK - organised a Noon Against Putin demonstration outside the Russian embassy in
London. It came as associates of Mr Navalny urged people across Russia to demonstrate, suggesting they protest by crowding near polling stations at noon on Sunday. Top news stories today Girl hacked off hair after racist abuse Girl died on hols from hidden condition Call for drug use to be decriminalised Muscle from arm fills hole in throat Don't miss the latest news from around
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