With Vladimir Putins opponents in exile, in prison or dead, like outspoken Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny, putins victory is practically certain. If mr putin serves out the full six year term hes likely to win, hell become the longest serving russian leader since catherine the great. Over the next half hour we will look at the impact of the election for those in russia, ukraine and around the world. But first, we start our coverage with this report from our russia editor, Steve Rosenberg in moscow. Russias democracy is the best in the world, the kremlin says. And at Polling Station 38 in moscow, we found a choice of candidates and plenty of voters. Democracy in action, right . Not quite. Realistically, only one man can win this. Vladimir putin the man whos been on russias political stage for the last quarter of a century. Vladimir putin faces no serious challenger. His fiercest rivals are in exile or in prison. Not that this woman, whose son is fighting in ukraine, wants any change a
Catherine the great. Over the next half hour we will look at the impact of the election for those in russia, ukraine and around the world. But first, we start our coverage with this report from our russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, in moscow. Russias democracy is the best in the world, the kremlin says. And at Polling Station 38 in moscow, we found a choice of candidates and plenty of voters. Democracy in action, right . Not quite. Realistically, only one man can win this. Vladimir putin the man whos been on russias political stage for the last quarter of a century. Vladimir putin faces no serious challenger. His fiercest rivals are in exile or in prison. Not that this woman, whose son is fighting in ukraine, wants any change at the top. Of course i voted for putin, she says. I trust him. But not everyone who came out today was actually voting. This, one of a string of attacks on Polling Stations across russia. They are unprecedented. After chaotic scenes here. An arsonist is detained. A
as russia s brutal assault from the sky intensifies. on the front lines ukrainian forces claim five cylvillages h been liberated. no response from russia on this but it s what s happening in the air that has ukraine on high alert. fighter jets today patrolling kyiv after news of more russian missile strikes. at a market, suburbs near a nuclear plant, both among putin s latest targets. also today reports of arrests now being made after putin s prize bridge to crimea was severely damaged a few days ago. matthew chance is with us now and has more on all of this. tell us about these arrests. what are you learning, matthew? reporter: hey, ana, that s right. this is a new development that s come to us within the past few hours out of russia where the russian federal security service, the fsb, who are investigating this attack on the bridge linking the russian mainland with crimea say they ve made eight arrests of people they believe may be responsible and connected with the dev