Russia's presidential election will take place on 18th March following a vote in the upper chamber of the country's parliament. President Vladimir Putin last week ended weeks of speculation, saying he will run for the fourth term. <br/><br/>Putin's 80 per cent approval ratings make his victory all but certain. <br/><br/>His most visible adversary, anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny, has declared his intention to run, but a criminal conviction bars him from running for President.<br/><br/>Navalny has been convicted on two separate sets of charges largely viewed as politically motivated. <br/><br/>Despite the implicit ban, he has mounted a grassroots campaign which reached the most remote corners of Russia.