RUSSIA: Russia confirmed yesterday that it would hold presidential elections on Sunday, March 14th, 2004, the long-predicted date for a vote expected to usher in a second Kremlin term for President Putin.
Mr Putin has not announced his candidacy yet, but consistently high approval ratings and the absence of any serious challengers make him the clear favourite in a race that election officials declared under way yesterday.
Supporters of the former KGB spy, led by the United Russia party, won a crushing victory in Sunday's parliamentary election, which severely weakened the Communists and squeezed the main liberal parties out of the legislature altogether.
Mr Gennady Zyuganov, Communist Party leader, accused the Central Elections Committee yesterday of falsifying ballots in favour of United Russia. A previous loser in presidential elections, he is also yet to declare his candidacy for the 2004 poll.
Mr Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party that came a strong third in Sunday's vote, said he would run for the Kremlin in March, despite two previous defeats.
"I hope to come not lower than second," the flamboyant demagogue said yesterday. He made his mark on the parliamentary elections by being temporarily banned from televised debates for grappling with a rival.