European Council President Charles Michel ironically “congratulates” Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election to the post during the presidential elections that have just started in Russia and will end on Sunday, AFP reports.

• “I want to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his convincing victory in the elections that begin today. No opposition. Without freedom. There is no choice,” wrote Charles Michel on the X platform.
• Undoubtedly, Vladimir Putin, who has been in power in Russia for 24 years, will emerge victorious, allowing him to remain in power until 2030, AFP comments.

The suppression of voices critical of the Kremlin accelerated sharply after the start of the Russian offensive on Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian authorities imprisoned most of the opponents and several thousand other Russians, and expelled many others.

Russian presidential elections will continue for three days, including in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, but the efforts of electoral authorities in Moscow to ensure that President Vladimir Putin can campaign without criticism have led to a situation bordering on the absurd, reports Reuters.

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