"Putin's Victory Assured: Russian Election Live Updates"

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to secure another six-year term despite token challenges from two politicians and opposition protests fueled by the suspicious death of their leader, Alexei Navalny. Voter turnout has exceeded 70%, with long lines forming in support of the "Noon Against Putin" protest. At least 75 people were arrested in 17 Russian cities for protesting the election, and some Russians living abroad joined the protest by lining up outside Russian embassies around the world. Exiled businessman and opposition activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky called the election fraudulent and urged Western democracies not to recognize it, while armed Ukrainian drones targeted Russian regions, including Moscow, on election day.