MOSCOW, March 15. /TASS/. About 2.3 million took part in the Russian presidential election in Moscow with electronic and paper ballots over seven hours, Olga Kirillova, the chairwoman of the Moscow City Election Commission has said.
"As of 3:00 p.m. Moscow time (12:00 a.m. GMT) a total of 2,250,564 ballots have been handed out. A total of 390,955 ballot papers were distributed and 1,859,609 voters cast ballots electronically," Kirillova said.
She specified that a total of 7,971,786 men and women were included in the voter lists in Moscow for the Russian presidential election.
"All polling stations opened normally. Police ensured the safety and integrity of the premises themselves, ballot papers and all documentation stored. About 33,000 members of commissions of different levels have begun to fulfill their duties," she added.
Kirillova noted that attempts to disrupt the work of election commissions locally were recorded.
"These are criminally punishable acts, especially now, given police comments. They can be interpreted even wider than just interference in the work of election commissions. They can be interpreted as treason, if connection with foreign agencies is proven. Criminal punishment is possible - about 12 years in prison," she stressed.
Earlier, a woman was detained for pouring liquid into the ballot box at Moscow’s polling station № 690. She faces criminal punishment. The box containing about 100 ballot papers was sealed. Later, an elderly woman set fire to a ballot paper in a voting booth at Moscow’s polling station 1,527. The incident did not affect the voting process.