Early results show Russia's Putin on course to retain seat

Vladimir Putin is leading with 87% in Russia's presidential elections, according to exit poll data announced by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center.

He is followed by the Communist Party’s Nikolai Kharitonov with 4.6%, the center said.

Vladislav Davankov from the New People Party secured 4.2% of the vote, while Leonid Slutsky, the leader of the LDPR (Liberal Democratic Party of Russia), got 3% of the vote.

Some 1.2% of the ballots were invalidated.

The Russian Public Opinion Research Center is a state-owned polling institution.

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