Russia begins presidential election

Polls have opened in Russia's Far East for the first of three days of voting.

Polling stations opened in the Kamchatka peninsula at 8:00 am local time on Friday (2000 GMT on Thursday) and are set to close at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Sunday in Kaliningrad -- a Russian exclave bordering Poland and Lithuania.

Early voting was already underway in occupied territories of Ukraine. The vote will also take place in Crimea.

The four candidates are Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democratic Party, Nikolai Kharitonov of the Russian Communist Party, Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party, and Vladimir Putin, the incumbent president and an independent candidate.

Putin, 71, is running for his fifth term.

In a video released Thursday, Putin called on Russians to go to the polls, calling participation in the election a "manifestation of patriotic feeling."

Claiming that "the only source of power in our country is the people," Putin told Russians, "you must not only cast your vote, but firmly declare your will and aspirations, your personal involvement in the further development of Russia."

"Elections are a step into the future," Putin said.