President Vladimir Putin won a record post-Soviet landslide in Russia’s election on Sunday, yet again cementing his strong grip in running the country. 

In his post election remarks, as expected, Putin said his victory shows that Russia had been right to stand up to the West and send its troops into Ukraine.

Putin  who first rose to power in 1999, made it clear that the result should send a message to the West that its leaders will have to reckon with an emboldened Russia, whether in war or in peace, for many more years to come.

Well, the outcome of the election also means that  Putin, 71, is set to embark on a new six-year term that will see him overtake Josef Stalin and become Russia’s longest-serving leader for more than 200 years if he completes the tenure. 

In other words, the result means Putin will rule until at least 2030, and he can be Russia’s longest-serving leader since Soviet Union era leader Joseph Stalin as  he have a third full decade of rule now.

In a victory lap at his election headquarters late Sunday, Putin said the election had “consolidated” national unity and that there were “many tasks ahead” for Russia as it continues its course of confrontation with the West.

“No matter how hard anyone tries to frighten us, whoever tries to suppress us, our will, our consciousness, no one has ever managed to have done such a thing in history, and it won’t happen now and it won’t happen in the future. Never,” he said.