At least four arson attacks reported at Russian polling stations on first election day

At least four arson attacks have been reported at Russian polling stations on Friday, the first day of the presidential election spread over three days.

A woman threw a Molotov cocktail at a St. Petersburg school where a polling station was set up, local newspaper Fontanka reported, adding that the woman allegedly told the police that she had received instructions from an unnamed “Ukrainian Telegram channel”.

Another arson attempt was recorded in Moscow as an elderly woman set fire to a voting booth, independent media outlet Sotavision reported, adding that she had poured flammable liquid in the booth, set it on fire and started recording it on her phone.

Similar arson attempts were recorded in the Moscow region city of Mytischi and in the city of Kogalym in Russia’s Khanty-Mansi autonomous district in the Urals.

The arson attacks follow other cases of election sabotage, including cases of voters pouring green dye into ballot boxes in several Russian regions.

The Russian presidential election is being held from Friday to Sunday in Russian regions, annexed Crimea and occupied territories of Ukraine.