On March 18, over 110 million Russians will have their say on who will be the next president. But while few question who is likely to win, the vote is important as it will show how firm Putin's grip on power really is. Here’s our breakdown of Russia’s presidential election.

Eight candidates, including incumbent President Vladimir Putin, are in the race.

Ksenia Sobchak: A 36-year-old TV anchor and socialite-turned-politician. She comes from a high-profile political family – her dad was Putin’s chief in the nineties as the mayor of St Petersburg – and stands as a candidate of the liberal Civic Initiative party.

Maxim Suraykin: The 39-year-old leads the far-left Communists of Russia party and longs for the restoration of the Soviet Union. A firm Stalinist, his campaign slogan is "10 Stalin-type blows against capitalism".

Vladimir Zhirinovsky: A 71-year-old career politician who is sometimes described as a showman in Russian politics. The populist has stood in presidential elections since 1991 as head of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR).

Grigory Yavlinsky: A 65-year-old economist and leader of the social liberal party Yabloko.

Vladimir Putin: Former KGB operative and incumbent president Putin is an independent candidate and former leader of the ruling United Russia party. The 65-year-old also oversees the All-Russia People's Front – an umbrella organization of over 1,500 smaller parties, unions and interest groups, of which United Russia is a core member.

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