Vladimir Putin has promised to punish Ukraine for trying to ruin Russia’s election by attacking Russian land and sending 2,500 soldiers to cross into Russia.
On the first day of the election, there were problems like dye being poured into ballot boxes, a Molotov cocktail thrown at a polling station in Putin’s hometown, and cyber attacks.
Millions of people in Russia voted in an election that will probably give Putin six more years as president. The voting took place in 11 different time zones over three days.
The Ukraine war had an impact on the election. Putin said that Russia’s western regions were being attacked and some people from Ukraine tried to enter Russian territory in two different regions.
Putin said that the attacks from our enemies will not go without punishment. He was very angry when he said this at a meeting with important military and government officials.
Putin said that armed groups from Ukraine attacked the Belgorod region four times and the Kursk region one time. There were about 2,500 attackers. He said they had 35 big war machines and 40 heavily protected vehicles, and that 60 out of every 100 soldiers were killed.
Ukrainian officials said on Friday that armed groups from Russia who are against the government attacked in the Belgorod and Kursk regions.
During the war in Ukraine, which is the worst conflict in Europe since World War Two, a 71-year-old leader named Putin has a lot of power in Russia’s politics. The other three candidates on the ballot don’t seem to have a real chance of winning against him.
Over 114 million Russians can vote, including in areas of Ukraine that Russia says belong to them. These areas are controlled by Russian forces, but not completely. Ukraine says the elections there are not allowed and do not count.