Story highlights Alexey Navalny has called for a boycott of the March 2018 election

The opposition leader was barred from entering the presidential race on Monday

(CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin officially launched his bid for a fourth term as Russia's president on Wednesday, as his main opponent called for a day of protests against the elections.

Putin, who has served as either Prime Minister or President of Russia since 1999, filed papers that pave the way for him to rule until 2024.

The former KGB leader, who has dominated Russian politics for two decades, is likely to score a comfortable win -- his only serious opponent, Alexey Navalny, was barred from standing against him due to a fraud conviction.

Navalny called for a day protests on January 28. Writing on his blog on Wednesday, Navalny urged his supporters to "refuse to call Putin's reassignment an election."

"We do not want to wait another six years. We want competitive elections right now," he wrote.

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