Russia prohibits anti-war candidate from running against Putin

A former TV journalist in Russia, Yekaterina Duntsova, who had announced her candidacy to challenge President Putin in the spring election, has been disqualified from running. Duntsova, an independent politician, had campaigned on ending the war with Ukraine. However, the electoral commission unanimously rejected her application, citing numerous "mistakes" on her form. Duntsova plans to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court. This move is seen by some as further evidence that dissent will not be tolerated in the election. The head of the electoral commission, Ella Pamfilova, expressed hope for Duntsova's future, advising her that any negative experience can still be turned into a positive. Russia's upcoming presidential election, the first since Putin's invasion of Ukraine, is expected to be won by Putin, who allegedly enjoys genuine support among Russians, according to the Kremlin. Duntsova had vowed to campaign on ending the war in Ukraine and freeing political prisoners. After the commission's decision, she promptly announced her intent to appeal, calling the decision unlawful. As of now, 29 candidates have submitted their applications, but with Duntsova's disqualification, Putin remains the only candidate eligible for registration. Another potential challenger to Putin, nationalist blogger Igor Girkin, who had criticized Russia's military strategy in Ukraine, has also been detained and is awaiting trial on charges of extremism. In a recent public phone-in, Putin yielded to public pressure and decreased the price of chicken and eggs. With three months remaining until the election, Putin has decided to exempt eggs and chicken from import taxes.