A Russian politician calling for peace in Ukraine on Wednesday lost her appeal against election officials' refusal to accept her nomination for the country's presidential race that President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to win.

Former regional legislator Yekaterina Duntsova has promoted her vision of a "humane" Russia "that’s peaceful, friendly and ready to cooperate with everyone on the principle of respect."

The tight control that Putin has established during 24 years in power makes his reelection in March's presidential vote all but assured. Prominent critics who could challenge him are either in prison or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned.

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Over the weekend, Russia’s Central Election Commission refused to accept Duntsova's initial nomination by a group of supporters, citing errors in the paperwork, including spelling.

On Wednesday, Russia's Supreme Court rejected Duntsova's appeal against the commission's decision.

After losing appeal, Duntsova said she would start working on the creation of her own political party that would stand for "peace, freedom and democracy."

"We will win the right to live without fear, speak freely and feel confident about the future," she declared on her messaging app channel.

Duntsova has asked the leaders of the liberal Yabloko political party to nominate her as a candidate, but its founder Grigory Yavlinsky has cold shouldered the idea.

A number of Russian parties have named their candidates.

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The Russian Communist Party, the second largest in the lower house of Parliament, the State Duma, has nominated veteran lawmaker Nikolai Kharitonov. The communists and other factions in the Duma represent only token opposition and generally support Putin's course.

The Civic Initiative party — which is not represented in the Duma — backed the nomination of independent candidate Boris Nadezhdin, who has spoken against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Duntsova urged her supporters to help Nadezhdin collect signatures to qualify for the race.

Putin is running as an independent, and his campaign headquarters, together with branches of the ruling United Russia party and a political coalition called the People’s Front, began collecting signatures in support of his candidacy. Under Russian law, independent candidates must be nominated by at least 500 supporters, and must also gather at least 300,000 signatures from 40 regions or more.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Tuesday that it has completed an investigation into a fatal police shooting where a man was killed in his front yard during a dispute with a tow truck driver.

The state agency did not announce any findings but said its investigative file has been turned over to the Morgan County district attorney. A telephone message left with the district attorney's office was not immediately returned.

Steve Perkins, 39, was shot and killed by police on Sept. 29 when Decatur police officers accompanied a tow truck driver, who told police he had been threatened by the homeowner when trying to repossess a vehicle, back to the home. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a September news release that Perkins was armed with a handgun equipped with a light and "brandished the weapon towards an officer with the Decatur Police Department, causing the officer to fire at Perkins."

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An attorney for the Perkins' family said officers immediately opened fire on Perkins, who did not appear aware of their presence before he was shot. The family of Perkins, a Black man, issued a statement saying the truck payments were up to date, which is why he was disputing the attempt to tow it.

Video from a neighbor’s home surveillance camera published by WAFF-TV captured the shooting. An officer or officers appear to run out from beside the house. One is heard shouting, "Police, get on the ground," and a large number of shots are immediately fired in rapid succession.

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Perkins' family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and others. The city fired three police officers in response to the shooting. News outlets report that the officers are appealing their dismissal.

The fatal shooting has drawn regular protests in the north Alabama city. Protesters carried signs reading, "You could have knocked" and "We need answers."