[WATCH] Defiance against Putin: Arrests made in Russia as presidential election kicks off

Several individuals have been apprehended in Russia for vandalism at polling stations as the first day of voting in the presidential election commences.

Making waves across social media platforms, videos depict individuals either setting fire to their votes and polling booths or pouring dye into ballot boxes.

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According to international media reports, most of these incidents occurred at polling stations in Moscow, Voronezh in southern Russia, and the Karachay-Cherkessia region in the northern Caucasus.

One of the shared videos portrays a woman pouring dye into a ballot box, while another captures a woman setting a polling booth on fire.

Nikolay Bulayev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Central Election Committee, reported five incidents involving the pouring of liquids into ballot boxes.

Despite these incidents, state media has assured that voting will proceed as scheduled.

The Russian presidential election spans three days until Sunday, and with no credible opponent, Vladimir Putin is expected to secure another six years in office.

These incidents follow the recent death of Putin's most vocal critic, Alexei Navalny, in an Arctic prison last month, and while this set anger amongst Russian, media sources have also reported that some individuals involved in the vandalism were heard "shouting pro-Ukrainian slogans while committing the crime."