KIEV, March 18. /TASS/. The ballot station in Russia’s Embassy in Kiev opened for the Russian presidential election as scheduled, but only diplomats are allowed to cast their votes, the diplomatic mission’s press service told TASS.

"The voting started at 8.00 a.m. local time (9.00 a.m. Moscow Time) in line with the procedure, and the voting is underway among the embassy’s staff members," a spokesperson said.

"The embassy’s staff members, including members of the election commission, have been allowed into the building without hindrance, but the voters are denied access," the spokesperson said.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov earlier said that Russian nationals would be denied access to Russian diplomatic missions in Ukraine, namely in Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa and Lvov, on Sunday, the presidential election day in Russia.

Hundreds of members of Ukrainian security agencies and nationalists have been blocking access to the Russian Embassy in Kiev since Saturday night. They are checking passports and allow only diplomats into the building. Similar restrictions for Russian citizens have been reported outside consulates-general in Odessa, Kharkov and Lvov.