Rybkin's family and aides said they lost all contact with the former speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, the Sstate Duma, on 5 February.
Rybkin yesterday was registered as a presidential candidate by the Central Election Commission (TsIK). The registration came two days after TsIK Chairman Aleksandr Veshnyakov said he believed over one-fourth of the signatures of support submitted by Rybkin were counterfeit.
Rybkin's campaign manager, Ksenya Ponomaryova, said the TsIK had no serious complains regarding the signatures' authenticity until the would-be candidate accused President Vladimir Putin of ruling by fear in a full-page open letter published this week in "Kommersant-Daily."
Rybkin yesterday was registered as a presidential candidate by the Central Election Commission (TsIK). The registration came two days after TsIK Chairman Aleksandr Veshnyakov said he believed over one-fourth of the signatures of support submitted by Rybkin were counterfeit.
Rybkin's campaign manager, Ksenya Ponomaryova, said the TsIK had no serious complains regarding the signatures' authenticity until the would-be candidate accused President Vladimir Putin of ruling by fear in a full-page open letter published this week in "Kommersant-Daily."
