GENICHESK, March 3. /TASS/. Kiev tried to disrupt the early voting at the Russian presidential election in the Kherson Region by means of threatening election commission officials and voters and staging shelling attacks, Marina Zakharova, chairperson of the regional election commission, said.

"Despite Ukraine’s provocative actions, the early voting was held without violations and complaints from our voters. The voters came to the polling stations enthusiastically to cast their votes for the candidate they entrust the future of their region and Russia in general. Ukraine tried to destabilize the situation and disrupt the electoral process in remote settlements with the use of drones and other weapons. Shelling attacks were reported in Novaya Kakhovka, the Golaya Pristan, Gornostayevsky, and Velikolepetikhsky municipal districts," she said.

According to Zakharova, members of election commissions were hiding in bomb shelters during shelling attacks and resumed their work afterwards. "Despite all the threats to commission members and voters, they came to polling stations."

She said earlier in the day that snap voting at the presidential election in the Kherson Region was finished for people living in settlements near the combat engagement line and in remote and hard-to-reach villages, where 172 polling stations were organized.

During the regular voting on March 15, 16, and 17, sixty-one polling stations will operate in the Kherson Region.

Russia’s Federation Council, or upper house of parliament, has scheduled the presidential election for March 17, 2024. Voting will take place over three days - on March 15, 16 and 17. Thus, it will be the first three-day election for Russia’s president.