Putin's next competitor quits - and campaigns for president in the Russian election. Sergei Baburin (64) from the All-Russian People's Union party first brought several boxes to the Central Election Commission that allegedly contained the around 100,000 citizens' signatures needed for a candidacy.
A little later, however, he announced that he would withdraw his application. The Russian presidential election on March 17th is already overshadowed by allegations of manipulation and, from the Kremlin's perspective, serves primarily to secure Putin a fifth term.