The election holds little suspense since Putin, 71, is running for his fifth term virtually unchallenged.
Observers have little to no expectation that the election will be free and fair.
Beyond the fact that voters have been presented with little choice, the possibilities for independent monitoring are very limited.
In many ways, Ukraine is at the heart of this election, political analysts and opposition figures say.
State media dedicated less airtime to the election than in 2018, when Putin was last elected, according to Golos.

Russians are voting in an election that holds little suspense after Putin crushed dissent