Russia closes presidential race candidate registration with Putin, 3 others

Russia's registration of candidates for the March presidential election has closed, TASS reported, with a list including President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to win, and three politicians who all support Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The list did not include the Russian anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin after the Central Election Commission (CEC) barred him from running, saying it had found flaws in the collection of signatures required for the support of his candidacy.

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

Mr. Putin, 71, who has chosen to run as an independent rather than as the candidate of the ruling United Russia party and who has been Russia's paramount leader since 2000 and controls all the state's levers, is expected to easily win next month's vote.

While nobody has expected the 60-year-old Mr. Nadezhdin - who has characterised Mr. Putin's war in Ukraine as a "fatal mistake" - to win, his trenchant criticism has surprised some analysts. The Kremlin has said it does not see him as a serious rival to Mr. Putin.

Mr. Nadezhdin said he would challenge the CEC's decision in Russia's Supreme Court.

The war, which the Kremlin calls a "special military operation", is nearing the end of its second year. It has killed thousands on both sides, displaced millions of Ukrainians, and turned scores of cities and villages into rubble.

Title: Putin and Three Others: Russia's Presidential Race

In Russia, when it comes to picking a president, it's a big deal. But recently, something surprising happened. The race for the next president of Russia closed, and there are only four candidates in the running. Guess who's one of them? Yep, you got it right – Vladimir Putin. But he's not alone. There are three others, too.

Now, let's break it down. Putin, you probably know him already. He's been the big boss in Russia for a while now. Some people like him, some people don't. But one thing's for sure, he's a major player in Russian politics.

But who are the other three? Well, they're not as famous as Putin, that's for sure. One of them is a guy named Sergei Mironov. He's been around in Russian politics for some time, but he's not as well-known internationally. Then there's Grigory Yavlinsky. He's another candidate in the race. And last but not least, there's Vladimir Zhirinovsky. These three guys might not be as powerful as Putin, but hey, they're giving it a shot.

Now, you might wonder, why is this such a big deal? Well, in Russia, the president holds a lot of power. They make important decisions that affect the whole country. So, choosing who will be the next president is a big deal for Russians.

But here's the twist – some folks are saying that this race isn't really fair. Why? Because Putin has been in power for a long time, and some people think he has too much control over the country. They say that having only four candidates, with Putin being the most powerful, doesn't give Russians much of a choice.

On the other hand, Putin's supporters argue that he's the best person for the job. They say he's done a lot for Russia and that he's the one who can keep the country stable and strong.

So, what's going to happen next? Well, the election will take place, and Russians will cast their votes. Will Putin stay in power, or will one of the other candidates pull off a surprise win? Only time will tell.

But one thing's for sure – no matter who wins, the next president of Russia will have a big job ahead of them. They'll need to lead the country through good times and bad, making tough decisions along the way. And for Russians, it's a decision that will shape the future of their country for years to come.