Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny says he will not recognize Russia’s upcoming presidential election if election officials continue to refuse to register him as a presidential candidate.
Speaking in the city of Kaliningrad on December 10, Navalny called on his supporters to back his nomination as a candidate. He also said he would not call on his supporters to vote for any other candidate.
Navalny, a foe of President Vladimir Putin, is campaigning for the March 18 vote despite repeated statements from the Central Election Committee that he cannot run because of a conviction in a financial-crimes case he says was politically motivated.
Putin announced on December 6 that he will seek a new six-year term in the vote. He is widely expected to win reelection.