MOSCOW - Former legislator Yekaterina Duntsova's bid for the presidency hit a roadblock on Saturday when Russia's Central Election Commission refused to accept her initial nomination papers due to errors in the submitted documents. Duntsova, who is calling for peace in Ukraine and aiming to challenge President Vladimir Putin, voiced her disappointment on the Telegram messaging app, stating that the commission found 100 errors in her nomination papers, including spelling mistakes.

The head of Russia's Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, addressed Duntsova during the commission meeting, offering words of encouragement by saying, "You are a young woman, you still have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus." Despite the setback, Duntsova expressed her intention to appeal the decision in Russia's Supreme Court. She has also reached out to the Yabloko (Apple) political party leaders, urging them to nominate her as a candidate as it would be difficult for her to convene a second meeting of supporters.

Meanwhile, the Russian state media announced that Yabloko party founder and leader Grigory Yavlinsky will not be running for the presidency, as stated by the party's press service. In response to Duntsova's appeal to Yabloko, Yavlinsky mentioned in a live interview on YouTube that he was unsure whether the party would consider her application.

Duntsova's journey towards candidate status began on Sunday as her run received endorsement from 500 supporters, as required by Russian election law. On Wednesday, she presented necessary documents to Russia's Central Election Commission to register her nomination.

In the presidential election scheduled for next March, incumbent President Vladimir Putin is widely expected to secure another term. Several Russian parties have also declared their support for specific candidates. The Russian Communist Party, the second-largest party in the State Duma, announced its support for Duma deputy Nikolai Kharitonov through a secret ballot. Similarly, the Just Russia - For Truth party formally declared its support for Putin's nomination, aligning with previous statements made by party leader Sergei Mironov. However, these parties represent only token opposition and generally support Putin's agenda.

Beyond the established political parties, the Civic Initiative party, which is not represented in the Duma, has backed independent candidate Boris Nadezhdin. Nadezhdin is known for his campaign against Russia's actions in Ukraine and has garnered support from soldiers' wives who are dissatisfied with their husbands' prolonged deployments.

In the midst of the electoral atmosphere, Putin's campaign headquarters, along with branches of the United Russia party and the People's Front political coalition, have begun collecting signatures to support Putin's candidacy as an independent candidate. According to Russian law, independent candidates need to be nominated by at least 500 supporters and gather at least 300,000 signatures of support from 40 or more regions.

With 29 applicants for candidacy in the election, it is customary for opposition candidates to challenge Putin. However, his extensive control during his 24 years in power makes his re-election highly likely. Notable critics who could pose a challenge are either imprisoned or living abroad, while independent media outlets have faced significant restrictions.

Earlier this month, the Duma announced March 15-17 as the dates for the 2024 presidential election, bringing Putin a step closer to a potential fifth term in office.