Communist candidate approved to run in Russian presidential election

Nikolai Kharitonov, of the Russian Communist Party, submits his documents as a presidential candidate (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Russia’s national elections commission on Tuesday registered the Communist Party’s candidate to compete with President Vladimir Putin in the March election that Mr Putin is all but certain to win.

Nikolai Kharitonov joins two other candidates who were approved for the ballot last week.