Pictures are from vladivostock. And lets bring you some pictures live from a Polling Station in moscow. Now, there is the potential for a run off vote if no candidate wins more than 50 in the first round. But, with many of mr putins opponents unable to run, it seems inevitable that Vladimir Putin will be re elected, without the need for that second ballot. Our russia editor, Steve Rosenberg has more on the issues surrounding this election. These days, when Vladimir Ovchinnikov paints russia, the result is very dark. From a mountain of skulls and a dictators ambition. To this russias war in ukraine likened to stalins terror. The 86 year old artist had taken his anti war message onto the streets of borovsk, graffiti ing, stop the war. All these paintings were scrubbed out and vladimir fined twice for discrediting the russian army. But he continues to speak out against the invasion of ukraine. Translation i believe that this is a crime against the territorial i integrity of a neighbouring country. Its a crime. And if i keep silent about it, its like im condoning it. Last month, after the death in prison of Opposition Leader alexei navalny, vladimir went into town. On this memorial to victims of political oepression, he painted mr navalny� s face. It was quickly erased. But vladimir has created this navalny portrait at home. Translation where is russia heading . Some say were on our way more repression. Totalitarianism and to full dictatorship. But there is another picture of russia. One much brighter. The official version. The picture the authorities want russians to see is not of a country that is aggressive abroad and repressive at home, but a russia with a glorious past and a bright future. Of heroes and patriots who not only love their country but also their current president. Instead of dictatorship, its devotion to the leader on state tv, and an action man president flying high and on course for an election landslide. Mind you, Vladimir Putin faces no serious challenge. His fiercest critics are in excile or in prison, or in alexei navalny� s case, dead. Its absolutely impossible to say about our president ial election that this election is fair and free. Politician Boris Nadezhdin was barred from running in the election. He claims it was because his anti war message was growing too popular with the public. In russia we have propaganda and we have a myth that everybody in russia supports putin and everybody in russia supports the special military operation. Its really not the fact and my Election Campaign shows that a lot of people against putins politics and a lot of people against the special military operation. But hes on the ballot. Although when i caught up with the communist candidate nikolai kharitonov, he praised putin. Vladimir putin, he said, is consolidating the nation for victory. And back in borovsk, many seem to believe that. I hope putin wins, ludmilla says. Although we do have talented leaders who could run the country in an emergency. A putin less russia means an emergency . Now that is a picture the kremlin will be more than happy to see painted. Steve rosenberg, bbc news, borovsk. Lets speak to vitaly shevchenko, russia editor with bbc monitoring. Thank russia editor with bbc monitoring. You forjoining. Reporting thank You Forjoining. We have been reporting there is no credible opposition, could you tell us more about how that came about . It is the result of 20 about how that came about . It is the result of 20 years about how that came about . It is the result of 20 years of about how that came about . It is the result of 20 years of vladimir result of 20 years of Vladimir Putins rule. It started off as a fledgling democracy after the break up of the soviet union. But the fact is now that russias Political Landscape is barren and bleak and there are no effective or Popular Figures bleak and there are no effective or popularfigures in russia who bleak and there are no effective or Popular Figures in russia who could realistically challenge Vladimir Putin. There are four candidates on the ballot but he is head and shoulders above the other three and from that Point Of View he is guaranteed to win. So the selection, it is not really going to change anything in practical terms. But for Vladimir Putin, it is a way of legitimising his continued rule or validating his policies and that is why this time around it is the first time russians will be voting for three days, which is going to make it easierfor officials to three days, which is going to make it easier for officials to provide high turnout figures. find it easier for officials to provide high turnout figures. And when we seak of high turnout figures. And when we speak of opposition high turnout figures. And when we speak of Opposition It high turnout figures. And when we speak of Opposition It is high turnout figures. And when we speak of Opposition It is hard high turnout figures. And when we speak of Opposition It is hard not l speak of Opposition It is hard not to think of alex mack, one of the most prominent opposition figures who is now dead. What have we had from his widow about these elections. From his widow about these elections from his widow about these elections elections. Alexei navalnys suworters elections. Alexei navalnys supporters have elections. Alexei navalnys supporters have been elections. Alexei navalnys. Supporters have been called elections. Alexei navalnys supporters have been called to come to Polling Stations on sunday, the third and final day of the voting. And she urged them to just be there, if they want to, they can vote. If they dont want to vote they can just be there and see each other and show how many of them there are. But thats precisely the problem his wife and the position in russia is facing at the moment. This is pretty much all they can do is just be there without actively voicing their opposition to Vladimir Putin and his policies. Because if they start doing that they become a target and they face fines, time in prison or worse in Alexei Navalnys case. Thank you for the context. Lets speak to natasha lindstaedt, professor in the department of government at the university of essex. She has been studying these issues closely. Thank You Forjoining us. We have talked about the opposition the with our correspondence and the lack of opposition in fact. What work has been done this time round to Project Legitimacy to these elections . To Project Legitimacy to these elections . ,. ,. , elections . They change the rules of the constitution elections . They change the rules of the constitution to elections . They change the rules of the constitution to make elections . They change the rules of the constitution to make it elections . They change the rules of the constitution to make it more i the constitution to make it more difficult for any candidate who has lived in the west to run. So their constitution is that you have to be over 35 years, that didnt change, but you cant have live somewhere else, have a Residency Permit in a foreign country or citizenship in a foreign country or citizenship in a foreign country or citizenship in a foreign country and you have to have been a resident of russia for at least 25 years. So that is a big change. It has also been difficult for anyone to run because of the vetting process, the way they vet candidates. They can decide, the kremlin can decide who can run and you cannot run and you have to game a certain amount of signatures if you are not in a party that is within the duma, which has to be vetted by the kremlin. It is incredibly difficult for anyone to run, but particularly anyone who putin views as a credible member of the opposition, some sort of threat. On top of that, there has been a huge amount of propaganda abouti billion euros spent on propaganda in the lead up. You billion euros spent on propaganda in the lead un billion euros spent on propaganda in the lead via the lead up. You have studied the Russian Landscape the lead up. You have studied the Russian Landscape very the lead up. You have studied the Russian Landscape very closely,. The lead up. You have studied the i Russian Landscape very closely, what image is Vladimir Putin trying to project here and visit resonating with russians . For project here and visit resonating with russians . With russians . For putin it is important with russians . For putin it is important to with russians . For putin it is important to project with russians . For putin it is important to project an with russians . For putin it is| important to project an image with russians . For putin it is. Important to project an image of strength and he is the defender of greater russia. A russia that would include parts of ukraine and that the break up of the soviet union was the break up of the soviet union was the greatest catastrophe, of course, in their history. And russians need a strong president and he is the man for thejob and he really a strong president and he is the man for the job and he really should a strong president and he is the man for thejob and he really should be in power indefinitely. He has changed the constitution in order to do that. The amount of propaganda that russians receive, i have already mentioned the amount that has been spent but the speed and intensity of the propaganda that they receive is something we havent seenin they receive is something we havent seen in some time now. It will either confuse russians or it will mobilise them to be nationalistic, more nationalistic than ever. It is moving in a more totalitarian direction. Moving in a more totalitarian direction moving in a more totalitarian direction. ~. ,. ,. , direction. We are talking about a otential direction. We are talking about a potential six direction. We are talking about a potential six more direction. We are talking about a potential six more years direction. We are talking about a potential six more years in direction. We are talking about a l potential six more years in power. When you look at history and compare him to former leaders, how strong is his grip on power . He him to former leaders, how strong is his grip on power . His grip on power . He has a huge i ri. His grip on power . He has a huge tlla on his grip on power . He has a huge grip on power his grip on power . He has a huge grip on power in his grip on power . He has a huge grip on power in russia, his grip on power . He has a huge grip on power in russia, he his grip on power . He has a huge grip on power in russia, he is his grip on power . He has a huge grip on power in russia, he is a l grip on power in russia, he is a personal list dictator and he has the power in his hands, and there isnt any other actor who can challenge him, he has weakened the military, the legislator and the judiciary, which is all under his thumb. If we can compare him to other leaders in history, hes moving towards josef other leaders in history, hes moving towardsjosef stalin. That seems to be the direction he moving in. , ~ ,. , seems to be the direction he moving in. , i. Seems to be the direction he moving in. Thank you so much for all of that insight. In. Thank you so much for all of that insight, as in. Thank you so much for all of that insight, as well in. Thank you so much for all of that insight, as well as in. Thank you so much for all of that insight, as well as your in. Thank you so much for all of i that insight, as well as your time. Lets take you to the middle east now and for all the latest heres my colleague anna foster. Welcome to eastjerusalem and Damascus Gate. It is the first friday prayers of ramadan, a time and place which is tense at moments like this. Im looking at the worshippers arriving but a large number of Israeli Security forces here. They have set up a perimeter that goes out a distance from here at Damascus Gate and of those worshippers, they have come to checkpoint. They shouldnt be anybody here between the ages of ten and 50, they have been strict on numbers on the type of people who can come here because they are concerned this could reflect on what has happened in previous years and we could see valid classes at this location. But so far, everything has been peaceful as people come to pray. One of the interesting lines from here overnight, what seems like a bit of movement in the Ceasefire Agreement Talks between israel and gaza, now this is something at times really seems to have stalled. We had last night that while tacro had put forward, adapted, lets say, a proposal with some changes in it. Israel said they were still unrealistic demands when it came to that. But they are convening with the war cabinet and the Security Cabinet today in order to discuss those proposals. There was of course, a real push, an International Push to try and have some humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement on the way by ramadan. But that was always the date they were moving towards. But that didnt happen as planned and we have several days into ramadan. And this is an important scene we are seeing. And they have been looking at what is happening in gaza and it has changed the complexion of the celebration here. I have been talking to a former imam of Al Aqsa Mosque where people are going to in bethlehem and he explained a little more about what brings people to pray inside this place come inside the city walls, which is the third holiest mosque in islam. All muslims All Over The World, they are called from muhammad to go to Al Aqsa Mosque. They are reading in the koran that there is a mosque called Al Aqsa Mosque under israeli occupation. And so we hope to go. I was imam in Al Aqsa Mosque, and i was arrested from there several times, and i am prevented from going there. So from bethlehem, if you go to a hill, you can see Al Aqsa Mosque from the hill. Here to the border of. Our border of bethlehem, only one kilometer, you will be injerusalem, if you can. But the walls stop you, the checkpoints stop you, the soldiers stop you. You need special permission. Special permission only from the Israeli Security. The Israeli Security doesnt give anyone. In gaza are the humanitarian crisis remains and we have been following the progress of bringing aid. It is a big barge of about 208 of on this barge and it is the first time that it will arrive to gaza by sea. It has been fairly slow progress but we know that ship is visible off the coast of gaza. Whether or not it will try and talk on the temporary peer today whether, because it will be a delicate and difficult operation, whether they wait until tomorrow to give themselves the full day of daylight is yet to be seen. There are logistical challenges when it comes to unloading and then safely distributing the aid. Humanitarian organisations and politicians around the world, the International Community have set bringing aid by sea and air is no substitute to actually bringing in the amount of aid that is required by land. So much more to come from here in eastjerusalem to the day and bbc news. Back to you now. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Prime minister rishi sunak rules out holding a general election on the 2nd of may, when voters will go to the polls for local elections in england. The Prime Minister had previously refused to rule out the possibility of a spring election, but said his Working Assumption is that an election would be held in the second half of the year. Mps will get a 5. 5 pay rise from april meaning their annual salary will increase to over £91,000. The independent Parliamentary Standards Authority says the decision was in line with the award recently agreed for senior civil servants, adding that it aims to be fair, both for mps and the public. Food Delivery Firm hellofresh denies taking subscriptions from customers who say they had cancelled their accounts. Some customers say their accounts reactivated with money taken for orders they had not made. They believe thatjust logging on to the app reactivated their accounts, but hellofresh says money was taken only when customers made a quote Proactive Decision to do so. Youre live with bbc news. Here in the uk, the conservatives are under fresh pressure over ties to a party donor at the centre of a racism row. The party has refused to confirm, or deny, reports that the donor has reportedly given more money to the party, than was known publicly. Frank hester has apologised for what he called being rude about the mp, diane abbott, but said his comments were nothing to do with skin colour. Lets speak to our political correspondent, hannah miller. More pressure on the Prime Minister . Yes, so far the conservatives have neither confirmed or denied this. They say they declare r