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.
