Vladimir Putin secures fourth term as Russian president

Russia's Central Election Commission announced final results of the country's presidential election on Friday, which showed that Vladimir Putin secured the fourth term as president with 76.69 percent of votes received.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a live televised speech in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 23, 2018. [Photo: Sputnik, Kremlin Pool via AP/Mikhail Klimentyev]

This is a record-breaking victory for Putin, who won 63 percent of the vote in 2012, 71 percent in 2004, and 53 percent in 2000.

The result gave Putin another six-year term and will make him the longest-serving Russian ruler since Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Putin is set to address the Russian people on Friday at 10:00 GMT after the CEC declared the result valid, the Kremlin said.