The Russian presidential election of 2012 was held against a backdrop of political and social mobilization the likes of which had never been seen before in the country. After general elections in December - with numerous reports of electoral fraud - a wave of public protests spread across Russia. Despite these demonstrations, Vladimir Putin - already a two-term president and sitting prime minister - was returned to the office of president with more than 60 percent of the vote.

While huge crowds have turned out in Russia to celebrate Putin's victory, hundreds of protesters have been arrested in rallies denouncing the election process.

Accusations of voting irregularities continue to dog the electoral process, with international monitors from the OSCE claiming that the result was a foregone conclusion given the lack of real competition. The organisation also said that the "abuse of government resources ensured that the ultimate winner of the election was never in doubt."

Below there are plenty of reports and interviews prepared by the euronews Russian-language service to guide you through the ins and outs of the presidential election and its aftermath.

• Russian election: middle class call for change

  On the streets of Moscow, a blanket of snow hides a political storm slowly brewing in Russia. The boiling point was last December’s parliamentary…