MOSCOW, March 14. /TASS/. The number of ballot papers prepared for holding the Russian presidential election has reached 113,574,550, Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova said.

"[A total of] 113,574,550 ballot papers [have been prepared]," she said, adding that they are all secure. "Each ballot paper is protected by several security layers," the CEC chairwoman pointed out.

According to her, "it is impossible to forge ballot papers." "All ballot papers have been delivered [to polling stations], they are all in place," Pamfilova concluded.

The Russian Federation Council, or upper house of parliament, officially designated March 17, 2024 as the date of the presidential election. The CEC then announced that voting will take place over three days on March 15-17. Four candidates will vie for the top office, namely New People party nominee Vladislav Davankov; self-nominated candidate and incumbent President Vladimir Putin; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) nominee Leonid Slutsky; and Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) nominee Nikolay Kharitonov.