(VOVWORLD) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has been registered as a candidate for the presidential election in March, the country's Central Election Commission announced on Monday.
Earlier, the Central Election Commission registered as candidates Leonid Slutsky, leader of the nationalist LDPR party, Vladislav Davankov, deputy speaker of the State Duma and member of the New People party, and Nikolai Kharitonov, Duma deputy from the Communist party.
For Putin, the upcoming election will be the fifth in his political career, having previously been elected head of state four times (2000, 2004, 2012, and 2018).
Also on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it would open polling stations at consulates in what it calls "unfriendly" countries for overseas Russian voters to cast their ballots.