Russians are voting on the third, and final day of the country’s presidential election.
Vladimir Putin is expected to win a fifth term as Russia’s president when voting ends this evening which would enable him to stay in power until 2030.
There are three other candidates on ballot papers, but they belong to parties loyal to the Kremlin and support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The Communist Party’s candidate said during the race that he would not criticise Mr Putin.
Only Vladislaw Davankov from the New People party has called for peace talks with Kyiv.
Two candidates who opposed Russia’s war in Ukraine were barred from the race before it even started.
There have been televised debates, but Mr Putin has not taken part in them.
Instead, the 71-year-old leader used his speech to Russia’s parliament last month to present himself as the country’s sole guarantor of economic stability in times of conflict.
He also promised to increase investment in infrastructure projects and health care.
Exiled opposition groups have urged voters to cast their ballots in person at midday today and to avoid online voting.
The initiative named ‘Noon against Putin’ was supported by former opposition leader Alexei Navalny just weeks before his death in a prison colony last month.
His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has called on Russians to vote for any candidate other than Mr Putin, or to spoil their votes.
Voting ends at 8pm Moscow time (5pm Irish time) and a preliminary result is expected soon after.
