Chechnya's more than 1 million residents live in a largely dysfunctional region. Nearly three-quarters of the population are without work. Electricity and telephone service are largely nonexistent. Tens of thousands of people have fled, mostly to neighboring regions. Hundreds have disappeared in kidnappings blamed on separatist fighters, Russian forces and allied paramilitaries.
At one polling station in Grozny, a man was killed in an explosion after he approached with a suspicious package.
No other casualties were reported and the polling station continued to operate, authorities said.
RSS