Image result for Putin loyalists gather to support his presidential bidHundreds of Russian celebrities, sports personalities and politicians gathered in Moscow to formally nominate President Vladimir Putin for re-election in March next year.

Some high-profile supporters pledged to back Putin.

Putin is running as an independent, a move seen as a way of strengthening his image as a “father of the nation” rather than a political figure.

Polls show that Putin who has dominated Russia’s political landscape for the last 17 years, is on track to being re-elected for another six years until 2024, when he turns 72.

Allies laud Putin for restoring national pride and expanding Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.