Boris Nadezhdin, a vocal opponent of the war, has gathered over 100,000 signatures, potentially qualifying him to challenge President Vladimir Putin in the upcoming Russian presidential election.
Nadezhdin announced on Wednesday, the deadline day, that he had collected sufficient signatures to officially enter the race.
According to Barrons, he has submitted 105,000 signatures in support of his candidacy to the election commission, surpassing the required 100,000-signature threshold to run against Putin. The validation of these signatures by the election commission is the next crucial step in confirming his candidacy.
Nadezhdin's overt opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine has been met with surprise, given the Putin regime's harsh crackdown on critics of the invasion. The government has imposed severe prison sentences on those expressing dissent through speech or social media.
The presidential election in Russia, scheduled for March 15-17, is widely anticipated to result in Putin's continuation in power. Observers note that state media is under his complete control, and most prominent political adversaries are either imprisoned or confined to remote penal colonies.
Despite these challenges, Nadezhdin has managed to voice his criticism of what the regime terms a 'special operation' in Ukraine. His ability to gather significant public support in such an oppressive political climate highlights the undercurrents of dissent within Russia and poses a symbolic challenge to Putin’s authority.
