MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. Western countries consider an "independent candidate" to be someone who stands with them against Russia, an anti-Russian ally, Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova said at a CEC meeting.

"If you are one of their trustees, if you are pursuing a program and agenda in the interests of Western countries, which have already openly stated that the main goal is to weaken Russia, then you are independent," she said.

"Let's decipher what independence means in their eyes. It should be a candidate fueled by Western financial means, who clearly expresses an anti-Russian position in favor of his Western masters or puppeteers, whatever they want," the chairwoman stressed.

According to Pamfilova, democracy was on full display in the Russian presidential election as voters came out in droves to cast their ballots.

Voting in the Russian presidential election took place over three days on March 15-17. Incumbent President Vladimir Putin garnered 87.28% of the vote, according to data from the CEC. The turnout of 77.44% was the highest ever in Russia’s modern history.