Russian President Vladimir Putin won a landslide re-election victory, extending his rule over the world's largest country for another six years at a time when his ties with the West are on a hostile trajectory. Vladimir Putin rolled to a crushing re-election victory Sunday for six more years as Russia's president, and he told cheering supporters in a triumphant but brief speech that "we are bound for success." There had been no doubt that Putin would win in his fourth electoral contest; he faced seven minor candidates and his most prominent foe was blocked from the ballot. His only real challenge was to run up the tally so high that he could claim an indisputable mandate. With ballots from 80 percent of Russia's precincts counted by early Monday, Putin had amassed 76 percent of the vote. Early results and an exit poll showed that Vladimir Putin handily won a fourth term as Russia's president Sunday, adding six years in the Kremlin for the man who has led the world's largest country for all of the 21st century.
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