Putin rails against Ukraine as attacks mar Russian presidential election

Russians begin voting in a three-day election that is almost certain to hand the president six more years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt his country’s presidential election by shelling Russian territory and using 2,500 soldiers to try to pierce Russia’s borders, promising to punish Kyiv for its actions.

Polls opened across 11 time zones in Russia on Friday to begin three days of voting with Putin almost certain to secure his fifth term since winning his first election in 2000 with dissent in the country almost completely stifled.

The shadow of the Ukraine war fell across the election with what Putin said was repeated shelling of western Russia and an attempt by Ukrainian proxies to cross into Russian territory in two Russian regions.

“These enemy strikes will not remain unpunished,” a visibly angry Putin said at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, which includes military and spy chiefs as well as the most powerful civilian state officials.

Putin said there had been four attacks on the Belgorod region and one on the Kursk region – both on the border with Ukraine – by about 2,500 Ukrainian proxies. He said they had 35 tanks and 40 armoured vehicles and 60 percent of the fighters were killed.