Russians cast ballots on second day of election to extend Putin’s rule

Mr Putin’s fiercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison in February, and other critics are either in jail or in exile

A woman casts a ballot (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)

Voters across Russia are casting ballots on the second day of an election set to formalise six more years of power for President Vladimir Putin.

The election comes against the backdrop of a ruthless crackdown that has stifled independent media and prominent rights groups.