Enlarge image
Vladimir Putin doesn't need to worry about the election results
Photo: Mikhail Metzel;
Kremlin/dpa
Even on the weekend of the orchestrated sham election, the Kremlin has to deal with attacks from Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin will be constantly informed about the attacks, said his spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Saturday.
Two people were killed by rocket fire in the regional capital Belgorod.
On Sunday night, the third and final day of the so-called election, Russian air defense intercepted several Ukrainian missiles and drones, according to authorities.
A converted S-200 anti-aircraft missile was shot down over the Bryansk border area southwest of Moscow.
Three Ukrainian drones were intercepted over the Kaluga region, which is even closer to Moscow, local governor Vladyslav Shapscha said on Telegram.
There was no damage or injuries.
The information could not be independently verified.
Early on Sunday morning, Russia said it fended off four Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his Telegram channel that air defense had shot down two drones over the Domodedovo district, where the capital's airport is also located.
One drone was repelled in each of the Ramenskoye and Stupino districts.
No injuries or damage were recorded.
As a sign that the Kremlin is taking the development seriously, Putin responded personally on Friday.
He said the attackers wanted to disrupt the presidential election.
But that will not succeed because the Russian people will unite against it.
Attempts to disrupt and protest actions
There are candidates other than Putin in the Russian election, but they are loyal to the system.
A real rival is not allowed to vote.
Most of Putin's political opponents are in prison, in exile - or dead, like Alexei Navalny.
The sham vote takes place under the complete control of the authorities.
Nevertheless, according to authorities, there were several protests and attempts to disrupt the election, which took place from Friday to Sunday.
In 20 cases, people poured liquids into ballot boxes to make the ballot papers unusable, commission chairwoman Ella Pamfilova said on Saturday.
There were also eight attempts at arson at polling stations.
Russia reports Ukrainian attack on oil refinery
According to authorities, one person was killed in another attack on an oil refinery in Slavyansk in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar.
The refinery was attacked with a drone early on Sunday morning, the regional authorities said on the Telegram online service.
A fire that broke out on the refinery site has already been extinguished.
According to initial findings, one person died at the time of the drone attack, the authority added.
The likely cause of death was a heart attack.
The head of Slavyansk city administration, Roman Sinjagowsky, said on Telegram that a worker was injured in the attack.
He blamed Ukraine for the attack.
svs/dpa/AFP