"Russian Presidential Candidate Meets with Ukrainian Soldiers' Wives to Advocate for Peace"

Russian presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin, opposing Moscow’s military action in Ukraine, met with soldiers' wives demanding their husbands be discharged from the front line, criticizing the government's decision to keep them in the ranks. The wives have been campaigning for their husbands' discharge and replacement with contract soldiers, facing stonewalling and accusations from pro-Kremlin politicians. Nadezhdin reaffirmed his call for a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine and expressed optimism about his presidential bid, while facing the challenge of gathering 300,000 signatures from 40 regions as an independent candidate. The tight control over Russia’s political system makes President Vladimir Putin's reelection in March all but assured, with prominent critics either in jail or living abroad.