Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the public to vote in the elections that begin on Friday and are overshadowed by allegations of fraud and manipulation. “Only you, the citizens of Russia, determine the fate of the fatherland,” Putin said in a speech broadcast on state television at night with excerpts quoted by Russian media on Thursday morning. Russians are due to head to the polls for a presidential election that concludes on Sunday, with Putin seeking a further six-year term. His re-election is seen as a foregone conclusion in the absence of any serious challenger, but the authori…