Russians know Vladimir Putin’s claim to power is “a sham,” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., tweeted Sunday after Putin was elected to another six-year term.
“That #Putin had to work so hard to drive voter turnout shows the Russian people know his claim to power is a sham,” said McCain, who is battling cancer.
“The US stands with all Russians yearning for freedom,” he added.
Putin, who has been either president or prime minister of Russia for almost 20 years, won by big margins. In a widely-expected result, an exit poll by pollster VTsIOM showed he had won 73.9 percent of the vote.
McCain has been a firm critic of Putin’s, and in a tweet in late January called it “inspiring” to watch the Russian people stand up for their rights in a protest against Putin and the election.
"Inspiring to watch the Russian people stand up for their rights despite the odds. #Putin’s dictatorship can run a sham election, but it can’t silence the Russian people," McCain wrote.
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