Intimidation, violence and no credible opposition candidates were the hallmark of Russia's presidential polls in which Vladimir Putin was re-elected to a fifth term of office (with around 88% of votes), Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani stated on Monday.
"The presidential elections in Russia were characterised by strong pressure, including violence," Tajani told reporters at a European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"Alexei Navalny was excluded from the elections by his murder," Tajani said.
Tajani referred to Russia's late opposition leader, who died in an Artic prison last month aged 47, where he was serving jailterms totalling nearly 30 years. Navalny's supporters say the sentences were politically motiviated.
Putin on Sunday, broke his silence over Navalny's death on 16 February, telling reporters it was "a sad event" and suggested he had agreed Navalny could be part of a prisoner swap a few days earlier.
Navalny's colleagues claim he was murdered in an Arctic jail by Russian authorities, who cite natural causes.
"There were no Putin adversaries among the (presidential) candidates. We witnessed soldiers enter polling booths to check how people were voting," Tajai said.
