Putin opponents face threats as Russian presidential poll continues

Overshadowed by the war in Ukraine and with the opposition excluded, Russia continued its presidential election on Saturday to keep Russian President Vladimir Putin in power.

By the afternoon of the second of three voting days, Russia's central election commission announced a voter turnout of more than 50 percent.

However, observers pointed to evidence of fraud and manipulation, with reports that state employees in particular have already been urged to vote en masse.

Before a planned protest on Sunday, opponents of Putin in Moscow also reported receiving threatening messages.