More than 30 people are vying to be nominated as candidates in Russia's presidential election, the chair of the Central Election Commission told the TASS state news agency in remarks published on Tuesday.

"Of course, the campaign will be competitive, since it is obvious that there will be more than one candidate. In any case, now there are already more than 30 applicants to become a candidate," Ella Pamfilova, the chair, told TASS. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)