Russia’s ruling party backs Putin’s bid ahead of March election

Delegates from Russia’s ruling party unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin ’s bid for re-election at a party conference in Moscow on Sunday, state agencies reported, just a day after the Kremlin leader’s supporters formally nominated him to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent. Meanwhile Putin warned of “problems” with neighbouring Finland after it joined NATO earlier this year, saying Moscow will create a new military district in north-west Russia in response, in an interview published Sunday.