<sod >She has denied collusion with the Kremlin and said she was ready to co-operate with Mr Putin's main foe, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was barred from the race because of a criminal conviction widely seen as politically motivated.< eod>< sod > ÃÂÃÂ  Putin's main foe, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was barred from the race because of a criminal conviction widely seen as politically motivated.< eod>