Russian anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin announced on Wednesday, the 31st of January, that he had submitted 105 000 signatures to the Central Election Commission (CEC), technically enough to challenge current President Vladimir Putin in the upcoming presidential elections, reports Reuters.
Although Putin is expected to win the election, Nadezhdin has drawn attention to himself by criticising the “Russian military operation” in Ukraine and, if elected, vowing to end it. Kremlin critics has claimed that Nadezhdin could not have made it this far without the “blessing of the authorities”, something he has denied.
His outspoken criticism of Russia’s war in Ukraine has fuelled speculation that he could face obstacles such as being barred from the elections on technical grounds or being pressured to withdraw.
Electoral officials will now be checking the authenticity of signatures submitted by Nadezhdin and other potential candidates
to announce next month who will join Putin in the elections. The commission has previously found what it considers irregularities disqualifying candidates.
Boris Nadezhdin has thanked his supporters on his Telegram account, appreciating the work of thousands of people who worked tirelessly to collect the signatures. He stressed that it would be difficult for the CEC and the authorities to ignore the significant support.
A video he posted from the CEC headquarters showed piles of signatures, organised by region and awaiting verification.
Nadezhdin, addressing the heating disruptions that hit Russia, proposed earlier this month to redirect military spending to the needs of the people.
To qualify, he needed 100 000 signatures from at least 40 regions. Putin has already collected more than 3.5 million signatures, exceeding the 300 000 required, according to his supporters.
Also read: Navalny’s camp plans to disrupt Putin’s path to becoming President
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