Yekaterina Duntsova wanted to end the conflict in Ukraine, but her candidacy was rejected over alleged flaws in her application

A former TV journalist has been disqualified from running against Vladimir Putin in Russia’s presidential election because of alleged flaws in her application to register as a candidate.

Footage from a meeting of the central electoral commission in Moscow showed members voting unanimously to reject the candidacy of Yekaterina Duntsova, who had wanted to run on a platform to end the war in Ukraine and release political prisoners.

Her disqualification was seized on by Putin’s critics as proof that no one with genuine opposition views will be allowed to stand against him in March – the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month conflict. They see it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.