In pictures: Russians vote

Russians have been electing a new parliament, with about 109 million people eligible to vote across 11 different time zones. Siberia's voters were first to cast their ballots.

Intrepid election workers delivered ballot boxes and went house to house in the region that is some 4,000km (2,500 miles) east of Moscow.

All eyes were on the voter turnout as the election was seen as a plebiscite on the government of President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Putin and his wife voted in Moscow, where he called on people to vote for those they trusted.

Opposition leaders like Garry Kasparov drew a big cross on their ballot papers - their verdict on what they call a rigged election.

In a festive atmosphere, this woman put on a folk costume as she cast her vote.

At a polling station in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia, musicians and artists were on hand to keep voters entertained.

And at the polling station where Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov voted, refreshments were proudly displayed - and sampled.

Very few international observers monitored the poll after the main body pulled out citing government obstacles.

Girls preparing for the Miss Russia beauty contest, in Morozovka, outside Moscow, cast their votes together.

Russian citizens abroad were also voting. Here in Israel, a Russian girl cast her mother's ballot paper.

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