MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. Latest opinion polls conducted by the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center, Russia’s oldest pollster, indicate growing support to incumbent President Vladimir Putin, who is running for his next office as a self-nominee, Dmitry Gusev, Bakster Group, a consulting agency, president, told TASS on Sunday.

Earlier, All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center released the results of its polls conducted on March 5-7 and March 9. Thus, according to the pollster, 74% of respondents said they would take part in the presidential election on March 18 with no fail. Sixty-nine percent said they would cast their votes for Putin, who is expected to score from 69 to 73% of the vote.

"The poll results demonstrate about the same figures as at the previous elections. I am sure Vladimir Putin’s results at the upcoming election will be slightly bigger than at the elections in 2012," Gussev said. "Since 2012, the international situation has changed, as has the situation in the country but Putin’s electorate is stable. Moreover, it is growing."

"According to the data provided by the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center, more people will vote for Putin than at the previous election," he added.

According to the expert, the Central Election Commission is conducting "an aggressive advertising campaign" about the upcoming presidential polls and is staking on "honesty and transparency."

Presidential elections in Russia will be held on March 18. Eight contenders are vying for the presidential office. They are incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will participate as an independent candidate, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, businessman Pavel Grudinin nominated by the CPRF, Yabloko party co-founder Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Party of Growth and business ombudsman Boris Titov, head of the Russian People’s Union party and former Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Sergey Baburin, TV host Ksenia Sobchak (nominated by Civil Initiative) and leader of the Communists of Russia Maxim Suraikin.