Exit polls from the Russian Public Opinion Research Center showed that Vladimir Putin won the Russian presidential election with 87.8% of the vote and was awarded a new six-year leadership term.

Putin’s victory margin is by far his best in any presidential election, surpassing his best of the four previous elections of 76.7% in 2018, when turnout was 67.5%.

After voting closed in Russia, he received nearly 88% of the vote, with 24% of precincts counted, according to Russia’s Central Election Commission.

The election comes amid attacks on Russian territory by Ukrainian missiles and drones that have killed many people, and is taking place on Ukrainian territory illegally controlled by Russia.

The vote took place in a tightly controlled environment, with Putin facing only three token rivals and any public criticism of him or his war in Ukraine suppressed.

Putin’s fiercest political enemy Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic prison last month, and other critics are either in jail or in exile. In addition to voters having few options, independent oversight of the election is extremely limited.

Here’s how foreign governments and officials are reacting to Russia’s presidential election, which Vladimir Putin won in a landslide and was re-elected for another six years, according to the first official results on Sunday.

Western countries criticized the election after the results were announced, saying it was “not free or fair”

“Given the manner in which Mr. Putin imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him, it was clear that this election was neither free nor fair,” a White House National Security Council spokesman said.

The X account of the German Foreign Ministry wrote in the post: “The results will surprise no one. Putin’s rule is authoritarian and he relies on censorship, repression and violence.”

The British Foreign Office said: “By holding illegal elections in Ukraine, Russia has shown that it is not interested in finding a path to peace. The UK will continue to provide humanitarian, economic and military assistance to Ukrainians defending democracy.”

Navalny’s colleagues urged those dissatisfied with Putin or the war to protest at polling stations at noon on Sunday – as lines appeared to grow outside some polling stations in Russia and its embassies around the world.

Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, was among those who responded to the call, queuing outside the Russian embassy in Berlin as some in the crowd clapped and chanted her name.

She waited in line for more than five hours and told reporters after voting that she wrote her late husband’s name on the ballot.

Asked if she had any information for Mr. Putin, Ms. Navalnaya responded: “Please don’t ask me or anyone else for information for Mr. Putin anymore. There can be no negotiations, no relations, with Mr. Putin,” she said. Because he’s a killer, he’s a gangster.”

The OVD-Info group, which monitors political arrests, said 80 people were arrested in 20 Russian cities on Sunday.