Putin ‘won majority of votes in Cyprus’

Russian President Vladimir Putin won the majority of votes cast across the divide in Cyprus during this month’s Russian presidential elections, according to Kibris Postasi.

The newspaper reported that a total of 53,216 votes were cast at two polling stations on the island, one in the Republic and one in the north. Of those votes, 42,833 were cast in the Republic.

Putin won 86 per cent of votes cast in the Republic, and 77 per cent of votes in the north. Nationwide in Russia, he won 87 per cent.

Of the other candidates, communist Nikolay Kharitonov won five per cent of the vote in the Republic and four per cent in the north, centrist Vladislav Davankov won two per cent in the Republic and three per cent in the north, while ultranationalist Leonid Slutsky won five per cent in the Republic and six per cent in the north.

Slutsky is no relation to the football manager, who currently manages Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua and formerly coached English team Hull City and the Russian national team.

This year’s Russian elections were the first time citizens of a third country other than Turkey have been able to vote in the north in their own country’s elections.