(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-08 10:33

MOSCOW -- Russia's First Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has secured his victory after the election authority officially announced final results of the March 2 presidential election on Friday.

Russia's president-elect Dmitry Medvedev stands during his radio address to the nation in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi, March 7, 2008. Medvedev has secured his victory after the election authority officially announced final results of the March 2 presidential election on Friday. [Agencies]

Medvedev has won 70.28 percent of the votes, thus passing the 50 percent threshold by a landslide, Stanislav Vavilov, the deputy chairman of the Russian Central Elections Commission (CEC) told a press conference in Moscow.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) and First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev wave to the crowd during a concert in Moscow March 2, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Medvedev, 42, is thus to become the state's youngest ever president-elect. He appreciated his supporters in a short address on the Russia Today TV channel following the announcement and pledged to improve people's life.

The other candidates, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov won 17.72 percent of votes, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky 9.36 percent, and Democratic Party leader Andrei Bogdanov 1.28 percent.

The turnout was nearly 70 percent or around 74.75 million eligible voters.

There are about 109 million eligible voters for the election. In some remote areas, voting started about two weeks ahead of the March 2 polling day.

The former law professor and a close ally of Putin has repeated for times to continue Putin's policy after his election.

The new president is expected to be sworn in on May 7.