Russian presidential election 'clearly skewed' in Vladimir Putin's favour Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin was 'never in doubt' as the Russian presidential election was 'clearly skewed' in his favour, European observers have said. Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892109-russian-presidential-election-clearly-skewed-in-vladimir-putins-favour#ixzz1oTVMYBFv

The 59-year-old, who has served as Russia's prime minister for the last four years after his first two terms as president, secured 63 per cent of the vote according to the Central Elections Commission. But the head of the short-term observer mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said there were 'serious problems' with the vote. Tonino Picula said: 'The point of elections is that the outcome should be uncertain. 'This was not the case in Russia. There was no real competition and abuse of government resources ensured that the ultimate winner of the election was never in doubt.' Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892109-russian-presidential-election-clearly-skewed-in-vladimir-putins-favour#ixzz1oTVRQU60 OSCE monitor Tiny Kox, head of the delegation of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, added: 'Voter's choice was limited, electoral competition lacked fairness and an impartial referee was missing.' Golos, a local independent watchdog, said Mr Putin was in fact much closer to the 50 per cent minimum he needed to avoid a run-off. The OSCE did not address independent claims by Russian observers that multiple ballots were cast at polling stations but did claim the election process 'deteriorated' during the vote count, with irregularities recorded at one in three polling stations. The OSCE report will give impetus to 30,000-strong opposition protests scheduled for Moscow's Pushkin Square tonight, with 12,000 police and troops set to be in place. Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892109-russian-presidential-election-clearly-skewed-in-vladimir-putins-favour#ixzz1oTVUg0J6 An emotional Mr Putin told a huge crowd of supporters yesterday night 'I have promised that we would win and we have won', adding that the election had been 'open and honest', but his opponents accused his United Russia party of widespread fraud, with Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov saying his party would not accept the official results. Mr Zyuganov, who won 17 per cent of the vote, described the election as 'illegitimate' and 'dishonest'. Mikhail Kasyanov, a member of the opposition, also said the elections were 'not free' and he 'would not recognise the president as legitimate'. Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892109-russian-presidential-election-clearly-skewed-in-vladimir-putins-favour#ixzz1oTVbfvnI In a bid to soothe the largest public show of anger in post-Soviet Russia, outgoing president Dmitry Medvedev ordered the Russian justice ministry to explain why it rejected the registration of the People's Freedom party, an umbrella organisation led by several high-profile opposition figures. Mr Medvedev has also ordered the country's prosecutor-general to re-examine the legality of the conviction of imprisoned former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and 30 others regarded as prisoners of conscience by outsiders. The ITAR-Tass news agency quoted political analyst Pavel Svyatenkov as saying Mr Medvedev was 'trying in advance to break the protest wave'. But Left Front opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov told state news agency RIA Novosti: 'In general, this step can be welcomed. But I don't think it should stop the criticism of authorities.' PICTURES: Russians head to the polls VIDEO: Watch an emotional Vladimir Putin appear to cry as he greets his supporters Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892109-russian-presidential-election-clearly-skewed-in-vladimir-putins-favour#ixzz1oTVgmUSb