It is an election that Russia's President Vladimir Putin is widely expected to win. The only question is how many will actually turn up to vote and by what margin he will win.

That margin is expected to be a comfortable margin, but one candidate, Ksenia Sobchak, has drawn some attention.

But while elections are a serious matter, there were those who took the time to have fun while casting their vote.

And much to the horror of neighbouring Ukraine, the election went ahead in the Crimea, almost four years to the day after it was annexed by Russia.

Election authorities said turnout nationwide Sunday was 34.7 percent at noon Moscow time. There are some 111 million voters and the regime is hoping that most of them will cast their ballot. Most of them wore their thick overcoats. Some did not.

Long before the residents of Kaliningrad woke up in the morning, the residents in Vladivostok had cast their votes. Results from the Pacific were expected to come in shortly.

And of course, this whole week President Vladimir Putin has been encouraging the country's voters to cast their ballot.

With snow on the ground and temperatures below freezing, there were some voters who were hungry.