Moscow's election chief has disclosed that a technical fault is to blame for interruptions to webcam broadcasts from polling stations.

“This is directly linked to signal quality” Irek Vildanov, chair of the Moscow election committee said, adding “however there was no break in recording.”

Earlier Rostelecom told RIA Novosti that webcam issues had been noted at several locations, but that no problems had been reported at the hotly-contested vote in Moscow satellite city Khimki.

Rostelecom confirmed that the webcam systems in place in these local, city, and regional votes are the same as those used in the March 4 presidential elections.

This is the first time in eight years that Russia will see regional governors directly elected, in line with reforms introduced by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev during his time as president.