"Two Challengers to Face Putin in Russia's Approaching Elections"

Russia's election commission has approved two candidates, Leonid Slutsky and Vladislav Davankov, to run against President Vladimir Putin in the 2024 elections. Both candidates, representing the Liberal Democratic Party and New People Party respectively, are seen by analysts as token opposition. Putin, who has been in power since 1999 and enjoys a high approval rating, is expected to win the March 17 election. Meanwhile, Yekaterina Duntsova, a critic of the Ukraine war, was disqualified from running due to alleged violations in her application.