More than 60 dissidents have been arrested across Russia in demonstrations against Vladimir Putin on the final day of the nation's three-day election, which the despot is set to win in a landslide. 

At least 65 people have been detained across 16 cities across Russia today alone, according to independent election monitoring group OVD-Info. 

The group said that as of 3pm local time, 26 people have been taken in the western city of Kazan, while a further 14 have been arrested in Moscow. Six were taken in St. Petersburg, and the rest were detained in smaller cities across the country. 

The watchdog said that 17 people across 11 cities were arrested on Saturday.  

Voting in the national election ends tonight, after polling stations opened on Friday morning. The election is expected to be a landslide victory for Putin, who has managed to get rid of all of his credible opponents.

Already, voters have protested the rigged election, with many seen pouring dye and paint into ballot boxes, and setting fire to polling stations.

Kremlin critics have called for Russians to keep protesting across the country as polls come to a close.

Yulia Navalny, the widow of dead opposition leader Alexei Navalny, called for protests in the run up to the election, and said Russian citizens should show up in droves at the same time to overwhelm polling stations.

She called for protesters to spoil ballots by writing 'Navalny' on them, or vote for candidates other than Putin, adding that the strategy was push by Navalny himself before his untimely death in mid-February.

But others weren't happy with pushing for voters to spoil their ballots. 

Former State Duma member Ilya Ponomarev took to X to say that turning out to vote would only benefit the Russian state, as it would boost engagement numbers and would give Putin an air of legitimacy. 

He said: The Kremlin is only interested in three things: turnout, turnout and turnout again.

'Therefore, all oppositionists who come to the polling stations tomorrow will directly help Putin, regardless of what voting strategy they choose.'

The Kremlin has sought a high turnout and as polls opened for a third day in western Russia, officials said the turnout in the first two days had already reached 60% nationwide. An exit poll will be published shortly after voting ends at 1800 GMT.

Kremlin critic and chess legend Garry Kasparov meanwhile said that the Kremlin was a 'terrorist regime that only understands force', and called for the West to intervene with a stronger hand.

Voting is taking place at polling stations across the vast country's 11 time zones, in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine, and online. More than 60% of eligible voters had cast ballots as of early Sunday.