Russia Ends Candidate Registration for Presidential Race Featuring Putin and Three Others – TASS By Reuters

Russia’s registration of candidates for the upcoming presidential election in March has officially closed, according to TASS. The list features President Vladimir Putin, who is widely anticipated to secure a victory, alongside three politicians who support Moscow’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Notably absent from the list is anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin, who was barred by the Central Election Commission (CEC) from running after officials cited issues with the signature collection process necessary to support his candidacy.

The CEC has registered Vladislav Davankov, the deputy chair of the Russian Duma and member of the New People caucus; Leonid Slutsky, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) loyal to the Kremlin; and the Communist Party candidate, Nikolai Kharitonov.

At 71, Putin has opted to run as an independent rather than as a representative of the ruling United Russia party. He has been the dominant figure in Russian politics since 2000, and his control over state mechanisms suggests he is likely to easily win next month’s election.

While analysts did not expect Nadezhdin, who has described Putin’s war in Ukraine as a “fatal mistake,” to pose a serious threat, his outspoken criticism has raised some eyebrows. The Kremlin has remarked that they do not view him as a significant rival to Putin.

On Thursday, Nadezhdin announced his intention to contest the CEC’s decision in Russia’s Supreme Court.

The conflict, which the Kremlin refers to as a “special military operation,” is nearing its second anniversary. It has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives on both sides, displaced millions of Ukrainians, and devastated numerous cities and villages.