Russia will hold presidential elections on March 2. Election authorities have so far registered four candidates for the presidential election: First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, the Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and an independent candidate, Democratic Party leader Andrei Bogdanov.
"We are determined to fight in election campaign until the end, because the country is facing another crisis, the prices for everything are going up," Zyuganov told reporters.
He blasted the media for biased coverage of presidential candidates and "manipulation of air time" in favor of the Kremlin-backed Dmitry Medvedev. He also threatened to bring a case against national television channels to court if "the intimidation campaign in the media continues."
Medvedev, who has been publicly backed by President Putin and the ruling United Russia party, is the clear front-runner in the current election campaign.
Zyuganov said the current situation in the country must be seriously discussed on national television and he would insist on televised debates between the candidates even if Medvedev refuses to participate in them.
"There is no ifs, we will insist [on the debates]," the Communist leader said.
He reiterated that all political forces in Russia must face the looming crisis together, rather then "run in opposite directions."
