Kremlin's critic Navalny calls Russia an "authoritarian State" Barred from participating to the March 18 presidential election, the Kremlin's top critic Alexei Navalny accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin to have turned the country into an "authoritarian State". With two months before Russians vote in the polls that are all but guaranteed to hand Putin a fourth historic term, the 41-year-old opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner spoke to AFP Tuesday in his campaign headquarters. SOUNDBITES