(KPL) The Embassy of the Russian Federation to the Lao PDR opened this morning in Vientiane a polling station for the eighth presidential election of the Russian Federation.

The election was officially kicked off in Russia on Mar 15 and will last till Mar 17. Four candidates have registered for this election including incumbent President Vladimir Putin and representatives of Liberal Democratic Party of Russia “LDPR”), Russia’s New People Party (NL), and Communist Party of the Russian Federation “CPRF”)

This is the first time that voters can choose to cast their ballots electronically, with online voting available in 29 regions including Moscow, or in person at polling stations.

On the first day of the election, Mar 15, around 3.5 million people had casted their ballots online, representing 73 % of people (4.76 million) registered for online voting.

The results will be announced at 22-23 hrs of Mar 17, 2024, Moscow time. 

More than 94,000 polling stations have been opened in Russia as a total of 295 polling stations have been opened in 144 foreign countries worldwide.

“It is worth mentioning that the Lao delegation headed by H.E. Mr. Sanya Praseuth, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR, is taking part in the presidential elections in Russia as observers,” said Russian Ambassador to Laos Vladimir Kalinin.

This is the eighth time presidential elections are held in Russia, which shows the inviolability of the principle of holding regular elections which is one of the basic principles of a democratic state.

The outcome will directly affect the development of the country in the coming years. As Russian President Vladimir Putin stated, the people are the only source of power in our country. This key legal provision is enshrined in the Constitution. It means that only citizens of Russia, determine the future of the Fatherland.

KPL