Putin gains 63.6% of votes: CEC

Russian presidential candidate and incumbent Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has won 63.6 percent of the votes after all ballots were counted, the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) reported on Monday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (2nd L) walks with Russia's presidential candidate and incumbent Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (1st L) as they attend a gathering in Moscow, March 4, 2012. [RIA Novosti/Xinhua]

According to the latest figures from the CEC, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov took the second with 17.18 percent of the votes, while independent billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov secured 7.98 percent.

About 6.22 percent of the votes went to Liberal Democratic leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky and 3.85 percent for A Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov.

The CEC announced on Monday morning the preliminary results of the election after 99.3 percent of the ballots had been counted.

CEC Chairman Vladimir Churov announced the election valid, adding that the final results would be officially announced within 10 days after the election day.

Before the preliminary results were announced, Putin, not known for putting his emotions on public display, declared his victory Sunday night with tears on his cheeks, after exit poll results showed he would win 58.3 percent of the votes.

Zhirinovsky and Mironov have called Putin early Monday to congratulate him on the victory, while Zyuganov and Prokhorov have claimed the election was "unfair."