hello this is our presidential election coverage coming to you live from moscow my name's kevin owen with me tonight and you said now of course as well but hind this is the kremlin work with him approach it is to. it long to take the top job it seems for a third time as preliminary results put it in a further lead tonight that's right claims it's a futurist thousands of supporters who had gathered in i swear in central moscow and you have square which you can see behind us to meet the mit's media was there

as well by his side and also there was visible emotion as he thanks the cheering. this was more than just a presidential election yes this was a very important test for us all you were not you were not for all of our people yes this was a test really whether we are politically much you're right they did and independent enough it was their lives and we have demonstrated if you don't use you when you moved it that you that nobody can impose anything on us because that nobody can impose anything we have demonstrated that you are capable and yet committed to one thing from another you and gives desire to achieve my journey from political probably shouldn't be the chris you only want to go to detroit out of your russia is a nation and yours are worth it what to do like the people of russia have demonstrated

in the idea that no such option is sexton ariel's will not achieve success in our country let me begin if you want to be with someone but that would. be but the best support in the past majority of our voters we have achieved and clear victory it would just let you know what will work honestly and hard and we will achieve success and we encourage you all and curious if not actually you don't unite around the interests of our nation and our homeland i have promised you that will win. here and we have one. right here glory to russia. but you must know it by the way in the us who again thank you for leaving here with us thank you for supporting our candidate in our puton. not asking you that our candidate he's leading in the election. and i feel

confident that when you. and this. we all needed very much. our country needs. each one of us victory and then you never give it away give it away to anybody. because you can say president putin visibly moved or lose his composure a little it's rare that you know to see that so moved was a brother supporting six forgot tonight but it's out of your course books from across russia will be counted fro benoit of the central election committee of people across the side of him for a start he's a character in a grouch overages watching the numbers traitor bring us up to date ok and i'm telling you watching the numbers i can hear crowds of people so already supporters of what they were pushing celebrating the victory here at the center for election commission it's more down to earth it's mostly about. what we know now forty seven

percent of all ballots have been counted that is almost half of all of the ballots across the country. are putin is leading with sixty four percent of the vote was coming second this communist good night is gone up with seventeen point two percent of the vote. proper of the most begun just a candidate on the list and results so fresh to politics the only analysis would be running for president is several months ago so definitely a huge success a very good performance got him seven percent of the vote is only about sixty thousand votes ahead over the dinner as you are not candidates from the liberal democratic party is often referred to as an internal contender because this time around it's the fifth time he's trying to get the country's dock job now so gain it all in the probably just russia party is getting seven percent of the vote he hasn't been changing march over the past. our voting finished in the country's

west most city of kaliningrad and that's when the count began and we understand that the most final results prelim results will be announced early on monday when the count is almost complete and then we'll know we might of course know early of whether we'll be talking about the second round in the selection we know that supporters of let him are pushing are already celebrating a victory but it's still in question still half of the ballots are to be counted and still have to see if that gets that much needed fifty percent of the vote to avoid a second round and if he fails to do so the question of who would be running against him in a second round is very much alive. but with tears in his eyes were as you were told a vast crowd of cheering supporters that he delivered on his promise to win this election but see how things are going down and putin's election headquarters where

to meet me makes me think oh is following developments for us there dimitri although not all ballots have been counted it looks like putin supporters are already celebrating victory what's it like where you are going around forty six percent of the votes have already been counted then it seems logical person is in the lead with a wide margin of around sixty three percent of the votes in his favor so really his team here has been celebrating the past two hours with champagne hugs and handshakes and right now there's a crowd of people gathered here in the halls of this campaign headquarters very anxious to see their candidate arrive here and graduate him basically what with what he has already claimed as his victory so. has been quite a light of a spear all night long right now they're anxious to see but you know putin actually arrived. kevin here much as they

may. if it indeed it should be this election regarded as the most transparent in russia's history. to date and remind us of what measures have been taken to secure this clarity it's pretty extensive but it has been very extensive we have seen a big turnout of around sixty four percent quite a high level because of the political activity being very agitated over the past couple of months following the parliamentary elections here in russia we've had thousands of people rally both for and against. in the streets of moscow and really this is why the government has taken or many measures in order to make the elections as transparent as possible and to avoid the controversy that we've seen following the parliamentary elections and we've had around eighty six thousand observers around the polls all across russia president we've had web cameras installed in every polling station so basically every person can become an observer

so many measures really taken in order to to make these elections transparent count and. to be true of h.q. thank you for bringing us up to date we also hear of all the prime minister putin is expected to come down and speak within the hour if mrs it does but of course cross back to you are a camera feed to see what was about to say ok we'll put in supporters celebrate their discontent at the headquarters of his closest rival communist leader gennady zyuganov bring us up to date with that developing story tonight. structure of course to second place in presidential polls i guess again it's not to be happy about that so i want to hear this kind of saying about these early results . well early on he came out spoke to us here at the headquarters saying that these elections where dishonest unfair and and worthy and

for him and his party he will not recognize the results of these evil actions now let's take a look at how he's done over the years in terms of like he said before he's actually run this is the fourth time his run for the hot seat in the kremlin and he's not done very well he's always come second in one thousand nine hundred six he ran against mr yeltsin where he got thirty five thirty two percent of the vote in fact that was his highest. turnaround and his highest vote of the entire political party and then in two thousand he ran against mr putin where he got up to twenty one percent of the vote and then two thousand the last of votes that he had in two thousand and eight he did run against mr again and then he got seventeen percent of the vote once again coming second in place would never get into that top seat for the kremlin as for him as a political man and as a man that many people have spoken about we've been here around the camp we've heard him in terms of his political persona he's always been seen as

a marxist leninist one who is you know he's almost like a nationalist and even come up with things like very humorous things like saying that you know jesus was a phrase communist so he does have a personality he does have some kind of charisma perhaps is a little bit misunderstood a lot of people who know him say that he's actually very self-critical of himself and that he takes his politics very seriously and in fact all you really want is that you know the gap between the poor and and the rich come in the middle he's also the interest of the people and so this loss for him is really deeply rooted he's been in politics for twenty years now he's sixty seven years old and what will happen to him off to six years only time will tell will there be a new leader and also some of the questions that are coming is going to themselves will be asking themselves in the next couple of days to see what went wrong and how can they change their party will they give it a new look will they even more did they do they are attracting

a lot of young leftist our youth. we will have to see if that will materialize in the future as a new younger leader come about. this election was neither fair nor legitimate fair elections you know fair dialogue between the power party and the opposition but the ruling party never took this step and fair elections mean old heads of parties take part in clear listen but it's vladimir putin never showed up with fair elections i mean the bureaucracy to provide equal opportunities for all the candidates but in this case it was working in the interests of one candidate a lot of. what we. have. now in one of their press conferences they did mention that they were some of the observers did see a lot of breaking at the elections even though the electoral commission has said

you know these elections have been wanted to very closely that the best monitored elections in russian history in fact you know they had some discrepancies according to the communist party and they will be looking into that in the near in the coming weeks and disputing some of those numbers and some of those results betty and it's . just looking at the latest votes coming through from the central election commission on the screen nobody can see it yourself but if you only just joined us here you can see of the sixty four percent so far at this stage of the votes being counted that's what overturned it was sixty three point five minutes last. going down a little bit about half percent just last but still that's more than many people were predicting you get for the first time runner and he's already ahead. certainly a veteran runner for president not a happy camper sure not to count the old v.p. come tonight or just six point eight percent he was hoping i think to get at least

ten percent but it doesn't appear to have materialized so far but there's a lot of things still to do you know as a say these are preliminary results at the moment the final count almost preliminary results will be around tomorrow put still going to be what week ten days before it actually finally ratified i'd agree gone but we have a very very special chance non-exclusive chance to speak with one of the candidates who run for president first time runner pro who are now trying to us live i believe from his headquarters and he can bring us up to date on how you're feeling about these results coming in third place is this what you expected are you surprised are you happy. with. nicole porter off the. oh i'm not sure if you can hear us since kevin are in this is not a place supposed to switch. but mr prohack this is i need to now

away from marty we're just making sure you could hear us i was wondering if you can hear us can you bring us up to date on how you're feeling third place this is the price to you. but. i think we have a connection there at the moment hoping to. make progress very shortly we will be able to join him shortly will keep him in the line there presidential candidate with the program hopefully that interview work out in the meantime the international community and europe in particular have been for the most part critical of putin's decision to run for the presidency again and the subsequent election campaign our europe correspondent that's our silly eye is following the mood towards the vote in brussels for us tasa how does europe been responding to the campaign and the early results that we're seeing with putin way in the lead. well it's all been very consistent from the very start again they've had a very

a critical view of the election campaign and russia as well as right now today on go way counting of the votes to go ready been seeing of reports on of the reported irregularities that's what makes it in the media here in a specially because these calls for free and fair elections is essentially the basis the basis of the basis of all of the criticism that it started and then leading into the protest movement we've had a lot of opposition voices opposition activists stuff each being featured a lot in the european press and today is no different they've been complaining about those regularities as well as some russian voices who say that actually there is a lack of choice in a russian elections and therefore they're making a protest vote just voting for a party they may not believe it but it's just against united russia against putin and of course there's a lot of analysis also coming in here from europe first of all on what is going to change especially now that there is a very very active opposition and the biggest in about two decades now as far as

the european leaders are concerned they are taking a wait and see approach just after the march wanted to summit european leaders and several of them saying that they have to the one to wait and see what will happen after the russian elections of the reassess again of the positions especially on international issues maybe about syria and iran now on some commentators do point out that whatever the outcome of the russian elections or whatever the european leaders and the media may think of whoever becomes russia's next president the fact remains that russia is still a very big and important partner for europe especially in trade and business and therefore more reaction definitely on and that analysis on the impact of what happens on the piece this important russia and europe relations. from. russia's presidential elections this. all that. the u.s.

. just chesty i political analyst with the heritage foundation either thanks for taking the time to be with us this election night well into the next morning here it is of course. night very tense trade as an ultimate evil by some in the western media from the godfather of them. k.g.b. can still why such a reputation do you think well yes thank you for writing first. i both with you here it is proposition i was speaking. i would say the answer to your question is. there is still so it's taken so by the pitch pieces left over from the cold war a duty for mr putin service to keep the career officer there because of these recent maybe the worst he lost so should we for the world in. parades shows even though he left several b.c.

services a long time ago so there is still these a bitch. maybe it was. a way for the future of mr putin there of course there is the polish sees it lead to his government go against some of the faber police in the west it was regarding for instance missile defense. against the chechen rebels it before. he supported the support of his government for syria for. its so there are all these various policies. which it was but because it goes. it brays that. they can if he's police pulls the ones they like saw is because of me because of how they see

it because of the all sticking to the soviet you tell me the people aren't really capable or for security or. they look at it it's kind of clear the person is not really what the west wants them on the west want to see it that. the west would put its money on put its money i do think it would first choice big. well that's a good question perhaps all these candidates would have to be highly profitable for a because there will be he. says sort of for western style democracy as far as i understand. he said he that ciera very well think. he'll be willing to well he already has business interests at united states and the west so i would say to people for optional that regard i don't think that he's very well known in

political cutty that he westie sexually you in the political arena for russia is so he would have to show to tell the fact that he has to get so far third place in the elections after the cup was cut that these two got of well that's so few positive for he's perhaps a political it started he so future. political serious political can be a perhaps a future rival for the next round of the presidential elections if he would but as to state politics. those far he would be i would say the preferred cut if they're older a quality shows or the beast it is see show is like so perhaps is the favorite you waste. a. much at the heel it's much support the russian is so those five based on these

results. would be the most are at least to cut it in the future but we have to see what the future would leave. there was a huge pool of russian protests in the western media with the single results of the streets knows you're talking tonight it appears that they were putin so it was about sixty four percent of that vote. said just media hype now that this is sinking in what do you think we're going to see in the future is going to develop into something bigger what you think this is going to die out. well in terms so for all the protests it's also what the opposition is going to prepare they're all arabia to organize must protest for this monday we have to see if the russian people will be fair significant number of the population are going to follow with these protests there is the show of the accusations right suppress fraud it made me happy in a hyping the charges say well he has been asked it well we'll have to see. the

will have to show you that was the case is there anything. like a almost one hundred thousand web cops or close to one thousand where cops for all the police stations will have to see if there is any truth about the i.q. status of fraud. my view person at least who has to be called a very popular police he certainly is not liked by everybody but i would say that he would help in any way if square is because he has a large support of the population so it will have to see how the opposition manage to do well in the next few days of next two weeks or month. he has said that he doesn't like or board that make the deal is going to be all said well we'll have to see if that is going to be

a case personally i don't think that's going to be the case because he enjoys road appeal. i don't think the protests per se are going to be quote a. position that these like sebree potch he's going to try to get his support across much as many said he says i think russian citizens to try to. demonstrate shows and show himself before the congress to the western media there are elements in the west. if i use nice political weapon i can seen especially if there is any form of repression against these protests so i will have to see how the authorities react to the protests how the protests are going to unfold are they going to be any are they going to be very large are they going to be violent it's just a question of what those for i would say that putin well he. for what we know a he won't be selections that the rest is history.

thanks ever so much for your thoughts on the program so appreciated tonight if you just joined us this is our special election coverage but ames kevin owen with me and this is now you tonight we've got a couple more hours of coverage to go yet but more thoughts a lot more comments as well earlier on in the program we saw putin prime minister vladimir putin as he has a moment take to the stage behind us just outside the kremlin with with. it with the president has it so yes or no you know this is a big implosion easier. really for the first time i've ever seen anything anything like that and he is coming. face so moved he appeared to be by the strength of opinion and the strength of support he's got tonight looking at the screens this is the latest we know so far is this with fifty percent of the votes counted with fifty percent of the votes counted it what is the crucial border line to cross if

he hardly thought that i just remind our viewers just joining us now how to have gone to a runoff of course and it doesn't look like that's going to happen at the moment but these are just initial preliminary results from the election commission they will give their kind of final result in the morning but also be ratified over the next ten to fourteen days only then will the final result being putin is now speaking at his headquarters addressing his supporters and his team really let us know when they come when you. should be easier for you to move around but you said you would need it and. it was unexpected from journalist doesn't tell you much and shows you how it was. seriously affected my personal condition that we conduct myself so we would even though she was very timely especially support on what you think a very much i think you will get all your colleagues in the world i don't mean just

that your plant but in the urals in general. well you know when you and all of them think you're all we're going the water was until i said our plant let's nazmi in are we have been watching this an accordion holding internally we have the workers here i mean the little you are going to have more snow runs three separate facilities the older you here. at the new year and. a half off a little more current higher team working here but the word must be a day at our plant we would like to congratulate you with your victory leisure. this is our common future yes our common victory so i would also like to congratulate you on this new tree. but i'm due was good thank you to the sky let's

see there is a girl over there she wants to say something i think. she's eager to see something different than my please with an about face these kinds of letter introduce yourself and say you know what she wants to say i was on your right now she's hiding why are you hiding no today because one day to give her a chance to say what she wants. now she disappeared completely when you were doing all right all right let her go oh she's coming because it was you would never write a letter speak. unite we all all those who voted for you. so that all of which you can hear much about years old those who joined your compelling emotional still no sense of the season go and participated in your big year gary assume rarely seen you need to give in yet or in

bergen mosque will see him with you in your particular we all feel like winners tonight. at the modeler. this winter was not easy for all of us and i will put here when you need your students and we're learning a few words from experience what we only knew really killing myself when you take a one on a less you go into politics politics will get you to get out of the new but only if citizens appeal and you have a. not active enough political matters you know you got it but. will take advantage of that and start speaking on where and when you have an ideal and i think it was very important for us to demonstrate to everybody. we are not or that the future of russia has to be chosen by the people of russia themselves by all of us he he joined us. once again mr putin and

that's it if you're going to really let me congratulate us all on our common mistakes are you thank you thank you very much thank you all i would like to say something like you would you mind i would like to point out something more for you thought you were part of the you know which is not just your initiative to create extra distance but also we start how quickly you learn. this kind of mass we're working with the media. how quickly you learned. the solutions laws and things that seem by you actually rather hard to do so you gauge in a political it's a greek to me this was not talked about any expected growth in any of you can do is that you know they were something insolent people but should go back in their own place those people who are spending. were sources in the working class but what do you do together with your.