In an unsurprising development, Putin secured another six-year term as President of Russia in the election over the weekend.
The result was met with congratulatory messages from Russia's neighbors in the East, while receiving a cooler response from leaders in the West.
According to the BBC, a spokesperson from the Chinese foreign ministry congratulated Putin on his victory while asserting, "We firmly believe that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, China-Russia relations will continue to move forward."
Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson was critical of the election's democratic integrity, stating it was "obviously not free nor fair given how Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him."
