17 марта — третий, заключительный день голосования на президентских выборах в России. Независимые наблюдатели и эксперты оценивают выборы как несвободные и неконкурентные. Владимир Путин, руководящий Россией с 2000 года, баллотируется на пятый срок.
Aside from the incumbent president, there are three candidates in the elections — Vladislav Davankov, vice-speaker of the State Duma from the «New People» party, State Duma deputies Nikolai Kharitonov from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) and Leonid Slutsky from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR). The Central Election Commission refused to register all non-parliamentary party candidates and self-nominated candidates.
On the first day of voting, March 15, the voter turnout, according to official data, exceeded 38%, and on the second day it reached 58%. There were attempts to set fire to polling stations and damage ballots, with ballot boxes being filled with ink and green dye. During the first day of voting, the Investigative Committee initiated at least 15 criminal cases under the article on «obstruction of the work of electoral commissions,» reports » .»