Why Russians Endorse Putin

Much of the world is amazed at the staying power of Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin, 71, who last week won the presidential election for the fifth time. The United States and its close allies might sound hysteric over his long innings. The rest of the world are either impressed or indifferent to both Putin’s supporters and his bitter critics in the West. He obtained 87 per cent of the votes in a race that saw three other contestants, who the Western press and critics dismissed as state sponsored opponents fielded to avoid embarrassment for the incumbent president.