Russians will vote to choose a successor to Vladimir Putin, the current president.

The country will have more than 96,000 polling stations open across 11 time zones.

Many are certain that Dmitri Medvedev, Putin's handpicked protege, will win the elections.

In turn, Medvedev is promising Putin a position as prime minister if he wins.

Doubts are now raised as to whether any real transfer of power will occur.

Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull reports.