6 Russian presidential contenders make cut

MOSCOW, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Six candidates remain in contention for president of Russia, the Central Electoral Commission announced Saturday.

Dmitry Medvedev, the handpicked choice of President Vladimir Putin and the candidate of the United Russia Party, is thought to be the almost certain winner. But three other parties have candidates and two independents have been allowed to run.

A total of nine independent candidates were barred from the ballot, with seven of their names announced Saturday, the Novosti news agency reported. The surviving independents are former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, head of the Russian People's Democratic Union, and Democratic Party of Russia leader Andrei Bogdanov.

The independent candidates and former deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, candidate of the SPS party, must now gather 2 million signatures on petitions to get on the ballot.