Two-Thirds Of Russians Expect First-Round Putin Win

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

A survey by a Russian state-controlled polling agency says 65 percent of respondents believe Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will win the March 4 presidential election in the first round of voting.

The All-Russia Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) reported that 19 percent believe no one will win a majority in the first round and that a runoff will have to be held.

The poll did not report data on whom respondents intended to vote for.

A poll earlier in January by the independent Levada agency found that 36 percent of respondents intended to vote for Putin, 17 percent are undecided, and the remainder are split between other candidates or are not planning to vote

Russia has seen a series of massive public protests since legislative elections in December that were widely seen as falsified.

Compiled from agency reports