Independent vote monitor says Russian elections are 'most secret' ever

"These are the most closed, most secret elections in Russian history," Andreichuk told Reuters in a telephone interview, referring to the 33 years since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Election authorities say it will be scrutinised by 706 foreign observers and as many as a third of a million Russian observers nominated by candidates, political parties and social organisations. Reuters has requested comment from the electoral commission on whether workers are under instructions from bosses to vote. Six sources told Reuters on the eve of the election that managers of state companies and organisations were exerting pressure on staff to vote. "At our factory, everyone was told to vote on March 15 and send a selfie to the boss," said one employee at a state-owned company.