Power Of Putin: What's Next For Russia?

Picture: Vladimir Putin addresses a rally of his supporters at Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin (Image: PA)

Vladimir Putin has won a fourth term as president with nearly 77% of the vote - his highest ever score.

He will now remain in power for a further six years, putting him on track to become the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.

There have been widespread reports of ballot-stuffing, and Mr Putin's most serious challenger, the opposition leader Alexei Navalny was barred from running.

His victory comes as Russia's foreign opponents battle their own internal problems, from the UK's messy exit from the European Union to the chaos and contradiction of the Trump administration in the US.

Watch: Footage alleges to show ballot officials 'stuffing fake voting papers into boxes' 

Here's a look at what to expect from Mr Putin's next six years in power, for Russia's rivals, neighbours and its own 147 million citizens.

New Cold War?

The relationship between Russia and the West are at their lowest level since the collapse of the Soviet Union 26 years ago.

Its relationship with the UK has certainly become more fractured in recent weeks after a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, were attacked with a nerve agent in Salisbury on 4 March 2018 - which was found to have been made in Russia.

Prime Minister Theresa May said it was "highly likely" that Russia was responsible for the attack but Russia has refuted those claims.

This led to the British government expelling 23 Russian diplomats in response to the attack, only for Russia to reply by expelling 23 British diplomats from Moscow.

Prime Minister Theresa May, said:

"We will not tolerate the threat to life of British people and others on British soil from the Russian government."

A leaked British Army report in 2016 admitted that the UK would be outgunned by Russia if a conflict were to occur. 

The imbalance of military arms between the two country's sees Russia with 766,055 active frontline personnel, whereas the UK falls short with 150,000.

Global Firepower ranks the UK as sixth in its list of military powers, compared to Russia who is ranked as the world's second strongest military power, the first is the US. 

Across the Atlantic, there still remains a friendly-ish relationship with President Donald Trump, but Mr Putin's new mandate gives him little incentive to seek an alliance with Washington, especially as the investigation of the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election intensifies. 

Putin-friendly leaders have made gains in recent Italian and German elections. Western countries are likely to see more Russia-linked hacking and propaganda aimed at disrupting elections or otherwise discrediting democracy - including the US midterm elections in November.

Whenever Mr Putin stands up to the West his domestic popularity appears to be boosted, we could see more tough talk from the Russian leader next time he faces threats at home, and bolder vetoes at the UN Security Council of anything that seems threatening to Moscow's interests. 

His claim several weeks ago that Russia has developed new nuclear weapons that can evade missile defences show Mr Putin's determination to boost Russia's power.

Syria And The Extremist Threat

Russian-backed Syrian forces helped rout the Islamic State group from Syria, and Mr Putin argues that Russia 'saved the day' in a conflict that had confounded US-led forces fighting against IS.

Now those Russian-backed Syrian forces are closing in on the last strongholds of Western-backed rebel forces.

Viewing that as a geopolitical and military victory over an illegal Western-led intervention, Russia is unlikely to pull out of Syria anytime soon.

An emboldened Mr Putin could position the resurgent Russian military as a peacemaker in other regional conflicts - for example in Libya, where Russia has oil interests and where a disastrous Western invasion seven years ago left a lawless state now seething with extremists.

Russia's Neighbours

For Russians, Mr Putin's biggest victory has been the annexing of Crimea and crushing Ukraine's ambitions to move closer to the EU and Nato.

Mr Putin is frustrated at the resulting US and EU sanctions but appears unwilling to make concessions that would bring them to an end. Ukraine is split between a volatile government in Kiev and a Russia-backed separatist region stuck in a frozen but still deadly conflict that serves Mr Putin's interests.

Moscow's actions in Ukraine sent a warning signal to other countries in Russia's orbit that reaching Westward is dangerous, and former Soviet bloc states within the EU are increasingly drifting back towards Moscow, from Hungary and Poland to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

What About Russian Civilians? 

The new mandate could hand Mr Putin the power to make bold reforms that Russia has long needed to raise the living standards and wean itself from its oil dependence.

However, Mr Putin has convinced Russian voters that a drastic change is 'dangerous' and that protecting the country from threats takes precedence over daily life. 

Experts predict he may enact some changes such as expanding affordable housing and fighting corruption on a local level.

But less likely are bigger changes such as overhauling the pension system, which is unpopular among a strong Putin voting base, or spending cuts in the security sector, unpopular among the ex-KGB friends in Mr Putin's entourage.

Russia has weathered a two-year recession, and inflation and the deficit are low. But personal incomes have stagnated, the health care system is crumbling and corruption is rife.

Putin's Future

One of the biggest questions for Russians is what happens over the next six years.

Mr Putin is constitutionally required to step down in 2024, but he could change the rules to eliminate term limits, or anoint a suitable successor and continue to run things behind the scenes.

Asked at an impromptu news conference on Sunday night if he would seek the presidency again in 2030, when he would be eligible again, the 65-year-old said:

"It's ridiculous. Do you think I will sit here until I turn 100?"

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Mr Putin's most serious foe, will face further pressure from authorities as he works to expose corruption and official lies.

Other Putin rivals such as candidate Ksenia Sobchak and oligarch-turned-dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky will try to gain a foothold through upcoming local elections and the parliament.

And members of Mr Putin's inner circle will be jockeying for position for the day when he is no longer in the picture.

Mr Putin may revive efforts to promote artificial intelligence and other innovation as part of a focus on the younger generation, whose loyalty he needs to ensure his legacy outlives him.