"Escalating Tensions: Attacks in Ukraine Mar Russian Presidential Election"
Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses Ukraine of trying to disrupt the presidential election, as attacks mar the three-day voting process. Polls opened across 11 time zones with Putin almost certain to secure his fifth term, amid dissent being stifled in the country. Disruptions during the election included dye being poured into ballot boxes, a Molotov cocktail thrown at a polling station, and reported cyberattacks. Opposition candidates faced obstacles, with one barred from standing and others either jailed, deceased, or living abroad. People in annexed regions of Ukraine also participated in the election, while Ukraine condemned the election being held in these territories.