A local walks past a poster about the Russian presidential election in Moscow, capital of Russia, on March 16, 2018. The Russian presidential election will be held on March 18, 2018.(Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia began observing pre-election silence Saturday ahead of the presidential election slated for Sunday.

Under the law on Elections of the President of the Russian Federation, pre-election campaigning and political advertising are banned at 00:00 local time (2000 GMT) of the day before the voting day. Voters are "in silence" to make their choices in a calm environment.

In the country's easternmost regions of Kamchatka and Chukotka, which have a nine-hour time difference with Moscow, pre-election silence began at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time (1100 GMT) on Friday.

On the day of silence, candidates and parties are not allowed to hold rallies, meetings or distribute leaflets.

Pre-election silence is stipulated by many countries in order to give voters time to make their choices without any pressure.