Photo Gallery Landslide for Putin
Vladimir Putin won a landslide victory in Sunday's election, securing him a third term as Russian president. Opposition groups claim the vote was marked by widespread fraud.
Putin was visibly emotional while he delivered his victory speech in central Moscow on Sunday evening.
Putin will swap jobs with the current president, Dmitry Medvedev (right), in May.
Putin embraces Medvedev on Sunday evening. "I thank all those who have said 'yes' to a strong Russia," Putin said in his victory speech.
Vladimir Putin appeared before a cheering crowd in front of the Kremlin.
In the area surrounding the Kremlin, Putin's suporters were already celebrating his victory in the early evening on Sunday.
Around 100,000 people gathered around the Kremlin to chant supportive slogans for their new president.
Putin's supporters streamed through the streets near the Kremlin. "We have shown that no one can force anything on us," Putin said.
Putin's fans celebrate the triumph of the former and future president.
Putin is surrounded by the media at a polling station in Moscow earlier on Sunday.
Putin casts his vote in Moscow. The opposition and observers have accused the authorities of electoral fraud and manipulation.
Putin was accompanied to the polling station by his wife, Lyudmila.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev casts his vote in Moscow. "There's a lot of doubt that (the election) reflects the true mood of the people," he said.
Soldiers cast their ballots in Moscow on Sunday.
Extra security was in place during the election. Thousands of soldiers and police were stationed in the area surrounding the Kremlin.
Electoral observers reported numerous cases of voting breaches and manipulation. Here, election commission workers empty ballot boxes at a polling station in St. Petersburg.
Some Russian voters complained that they had been refused the right to vote, being told they had already cast their ballots.
Outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev appeared in front of cameras to cast his vote in Moscow. He is giving up his post willingly for Putin, who is both his predecessor and successor. Medvedev in turn will become prime minister.
Following massive protests following the parliamentary elections in December, the electoral commission prepared itself against allegations of fraud by installing webcams in all polling stations. The images were then cast onto a "monitoring wall" in Moscow.
Not all voters displayed as much patience as these soldiers lining up to vote in Moscow.
This half-naked activist from the Femen group protested noisily against electoral manipulation in the very polling station in Moscow where Putin had cast his vote.
Presidential candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky also voted in Moscow. The right-wing leader of the Liberal Democratic Party received only 7 percent of the vote.
