Ukrainian strikes rock Russia as vote cements Putin's grip on power

Polls opened this week but voting has been marred by an uptick in fatal Ukrainian bombardments and a series of incursions into Russian territory by pro-Ukrainian sabotage groups.

Ukrainian bombardments killed two people in a Russian border region on Saturday (Mar 16), its governor said, on the second day of a presidential election guaranteed to cement President Vladimir Putin's hardline rule.

Polls opened this week but voting has been marred by an uptick in fatal Ukrainian bombardments and a series of incursions into Russian territory by pro-Ukrainian sabotage groups.

Fresh bombardments prompted authorities to close schools and shopping centres in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, undermining the Kremlin's efforts to isolate Russians from its conflict in Ukraine - particularly during highly touted elections.

Putin, who cast his vote online, vowed a harsh response to the assaults and accused Kyiv of trying to "disrupt" his bid for another six-year mandate.

The governor of the frontier Belgorod region said air defence systems had downed eight Ukrainian missiles but that two residents were killed and others injured.