Kremlin officials blocked Russian President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic from running for the Russian presidency on Monday.

Russia's Central Election Commission voted to stop anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny from running, citing a conviction in a fraud case that many consider to be political payback, according to The Associated Press.

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The development comes a day after Navalny announced his presidential bid on Sunday.

The move exerted pressure on the Russian government to allow the opposition figure to challenge Putin in the March elections.

Putin is favored to win the elections in 2018, which would mark his fourth term in office.

Navalny has gained positive attention across Russia for organizing a slew of anti-corruption protests.