Honestly, if you were looking for a nail-biter, the 2024 Russian election wasn't it. We all knew how this was going to end. Vladimir Putin walked away with over 87% of the vote, a number that feels more like a high score in a video game than a competitive democratic result. But here's the thing: while the outcome was a total foregone conclusion, the people who actually stood on that stage with him tell a pretty wild story about how politics works in Russia today.
So, who is running against Putin 2024? It wasn't just a one-man show, even if it felt like it. There were three other guys on the ballot. They weren't exactly "opposition" in the way we think of it in the West—more like "approved alternatives."
Let's break down who these people are, why the "real" challengers were kicked out, and what the whole circus actually meant for the country.
The Three Men on the Ballot
You've got to understand the "systemic opposition." These are parties that sit in the Duma (the Russian parliament), get state funding, and generally vote for whatever the Kremlin wants, but they keep their own branding to make things look diverse.
Nikolai Kharitonov: The Communist Veteran
At 75, Nikolai Kharitonov was the oldest candidate to ever run. He represented the Communist Party (CPRF). If his name sounds familiar, it's because he actually ran against Putin way back in 2004. Back then, he got about 13%. This time? Just over 4%.
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His campaign slogan was kind of incredible: "We played at capitalism and that’s enough!" He basically wanted to go back to the USSR days—nationalizing resources, raising pensions, and bringing back collective farming. But here’s the kicker: he openly admitted during the campaign that he wouldn’t criticize Putin. Imagine running for President and saying, "Yeah, the guy I'm trying to replace is doing a great job." That's the vibe we're dealing with here.
Leonid Slutsky: The Nationalist Successor
Then you had Leonid Slutsky from the LDPR (Liberal Democratic Party). He took over after the legendary and loud-mouthed Vladimir Zhirinovsky died. Slutsky is a career politician who’s been under Western sanctions for a decade.
His whole platform was basically "Victory in the war, now." He wasn't there to offer a different path; he was there to show he could be just as hawkish as the incumbent. Like Kharitonov, Slutsky flat-out told reporters he didn't expect to win. He was mostly running to prove his party still exists without its old leader.
Vladislav Davankov: The "Liberal" Face
Davankov was the interesting one. He’s 40, looks like a modern businessman, and belongs to the "New People" party. He was the only one who even hinted at peace, using the phrase "peace and negotiations—but on our terms."
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Because he didn't sound like a Soviet relic, a lot of younger, urban voters who were desperate for any alternative ended up backing him. He even won the vote among Russians living abroad in places like Prague and Berlin. But even Davankov is a sanctioned official who voted for the annexation of Ukrainian territories. He’s "liberal-lite," approved by the Kremlin to give frustrated voters a safe place to put their X.
The Ones Who Weren't Allowed to Play
The real story of who is running against Putin 2024 isn't about the guys on the ballot. It's about the ones who were blocked. This is where things got tense for the Kremlin.
- Boris Nadezhdin: This guy actually managed to get people excited. He was a plain-speaking politician who campaigned on a single, bold promise: stop the "special military operation." People stood in long lines in the freezing cold just to sign his nomination papers. It was a visible, physical protest. The Central Election Commission (CEC) eventually disqualified him, claiming thousands of his signatures were "invalid."
- Yekaterina Duntsova: A former TV journalist and mother of three. She wanted to run on a platform of peace and democratic reform. She was disqualified almost immediately over "technical errors" in her paperwork.
When these two were removed, it became clear: the Kremlin was fine with candidates who disagreed on the style of government, but anyone who disagreed on the war was a no-go.
Why Even Bother With an Election?
If the winner is decided before the first vote is cast, why spend millions on the setup?
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It’s all about legitimacy. In Russia, a high turnout and a massive victory percentage aren't for the voters; they're for the elite. It’s a signal to the bureaucrats and the generals that Putin is still the undisputed boss.
The state-run pollster VTsiom predicted the high numbers, and they delivered. They used things like three-day voting and electronic voting (which is notoriously hard to monitor) to ensure the numbers looked "right."
What This Means for You
Looking at who is running against Putin 2024 helps us understand the direction Russia is heading. With the election out of the way, Putin has a "mandate" (in his eyes) to keep the war going and perhaps even crack down harder on domestic dissent.
If you're trying to keep track of Russian politics from the outside, don't look at the vote counts. Look at the people who were trying to get on the ballot. That’s where the real energy is.
Your Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Monitor the "New People" Party: Watch Vladislav Davankov in the Duma. He’s the most likely "approved" figure to absorb protest sentiment in the future.
- Follow Independent Media: Since state media won't tell you the truth, keep an eye on outlets like Meduza or Novaya Gazeta Europe. They operate outside Russia and give the real context behind the numbers.
- Watch the Economy: Now that the election optics are finished, look for potential "unpopular" moves, like new mobilization waves or tax hikes, which were likely delayed until after the vote.
The 2024 election was a scripted play, but even scripted plays have actors worth watching. Understanding the difference between a "competitor" and a "colleague" in Russian politics is the only way to make sense of what’s coming next.