Vladimir Putin was accused of helping steal power in Georgia via the backdoor after elections marred by vote buying, ballot stuffing and violence.

It is the second time in a week that Russia is said to have had a hand in meddling with a vote in a Western-leaning state after Moldova’s EU election was heavily skewed.

Various international observers raised concerns of widespread irregularities in Georgia’s voting, which appeared to give the ruling pro-Russia Georgian Dream party the edge despite polls showing the opposite.

“The picture emerging from Georgia is clear – yesterday’s election has been stolen by Putin’s puppet government in Tbilisi,” Boris Johnson said on Sunday as video evidence emerged of interference at the ballot. 

“I back the people of Georgia as they stand up for their freedom, their rights and their future,” he added.

Alicia Kearns, the shadow foreign minister, said in a post: “The people of Georgia deserve free and fair elections.”

Salome Zourabichvili, the Georgian president, later added that she did not recognise the results. She referred to the vote as a “Russian special operation” and called for protests.