Anti-war Duntsova barred from running against Putin

STORY: A Russian anti-war former TV journalist has been disqualified from running against President Vladimir Putin in an election next March.

Yekaterina Duntsova wanted to run on a platform to end the war in Ukraine and release political prisoners.

Video from the central electoral commission showed members voting unanimously to reject her candidacy on Saturday (December 23) because of alleged flaws in her application to register.

Putin's critics said it proved no one with genuine opposition views will be allowed to challenge him in the first presidential election since Russia invaded Ukraine last February.

They see the vote as a fake process with only one possible outcome.

Duntsova told reporters her team had trouble finding a lawyer to certify the bid, after dozens declined.

When she said last month she wanted to stand, commentators described her as crazy, brave, or part of a Kremlin-scripted plan to emulate a fair election.

In this interview with Reuters in November, she said: "Any sane person taking this step would be afraid - but fear must not win."

The Kremlin says Putin will win because he enjoys genuine support across society, with opinion poll ratings of around 80%.

Completing another six-year term would make him Russia's longest serving ruler since the 18th century - surpassing even Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Putin's best-known opponent, Alexei Navalny, is serving prison sentences totaling more than 30 years.

His supporters say they don't know where he is, after they were told he had been moved from his previous penal colony earlier this month.