Russia's Presidential Election Begins

The voter turnout in the ongoing Russian presidential elections indicates that more than 50 percent of voters will cast their ballots, and the elections will be recognized as valid.

Chairman of the Russian Central Election Commission, Alexander Veshnyakov said today that all polling stations in Russia, including those in Chechnya, had opened on time and were receiving voters.

He expressed confidence that the presidential election will be a success.

Meanwhile, former Russian president Boris Yeltsin cast his ballot Sunday morning. He says he believes reforms will continue in Russia following the election of a new president.

Yeltsin hand-picked Vladimir Putin as prime minister last August, and propelled Putin to the Kremlin as acting president after his resignation on new year's eve.

Putin is widely expected to win the election, but has declined to comment on his chances of winning in the first round of voting.

Communist Party leader and presidential candidate Gennady Zyuganov predicts that he and Putin will face each other in a second round of voting.

Under Russia's electoral law, a second round of voting will be held in three weeks if none of the candidates wins over 50 percent of the votes in the first round.

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