"Russian Election Officials Bar Anti-War Candidate from Challenging Putin"

Russian election officials rejected antiwar politician Boris Nadezhdin's bid to run in the upcoming presidential election, signaling the Kremlin's intolerance for public opposition to the Ukraine invasion. This decision paves the way for President Vladimir Putin's fifth term, as he faces minimal opposition. Nadezhdin, who called for an end to the war in Ukraine, had his candidacy invalidated due to invalid signatures. Most opposition figures have been imprisoned or exiled, and independent media outlets banned, leaving Putin with little challenge. Nadezhdin plans to appeal the decision, while exiled opposition activists have thrown their support behind him.