Putin seeks fourth term as Russians head to polls
Sunday, 18 March 2018
Polls have opened in Russia's presidential election, in which Vladimir Putin is seeking to stay in power for a fourth term in office.
Voting began in the Russian far-east at 20:00 GMT on Saturday, and opened in Moscow nine hours later, reports BBC.
Exit polls are expected late on Sunday. Mr Putin is hoping for another six-year term and faces seven other candidates.
He said he would see as a success any result that gave him the "right to perform the duties of president."
His comments were carried on national TV as he voted in Moscow.
Mr Putin's rivals include a millionaire communist, Pavel Grudinin, a former reality television host, Ksenia Sobchak and veteran nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
The main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has been prohibited from standing, because of a fraud conviction that he has condemned as politically motivated. Mr Navalny has urged voters to boycott the election.