VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
1. The Name of Russia, TV project. It was not only the most intellectual talk show of the year, but also a successful, highly-rated attempt to draw the audience's attention to its own history. The Rossiya channel has proved that television can be serous, interesting and socially useful at the same time.
The Government summed up the results of 2008. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said the other day that, owing to the crisis, the situation was extremely difficult and that 2009 would become the most difficult post-war year. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin remarked optimistically that the Russian economy was in the black.
Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin summarise the year.
The structure of supreme power in modern Russia can be described as a "tandem," a term the Kremlin likes more than "diarchy." So far, both leaders have been satisfied with their interaction.
Dmitry Medvedev has accomplished a lot in the six months since his election. But his highest profile move was a "technical" correction of the Constitution.
In 2008, two major construction projects began in Primorye: a bridge across the strait of Bosfor Vostochny to the Island of Russky, the 2012 APEC summit venue, and a bridge across the bay of Zolotoi Rog, built in the framework of the federal programme for regional development.
For the first time in Russian history a head of state not only stayed in the Government after completing his term, but also became a Prime Minister, the number two person in the Government hierarchy. Mr Putin's transition is hardly proving seamless. The financial crisis has dashed any possible hopes for a calm tenure. In addition, not all the measures taken by the Prime Minister seem to be working.
On May 31, Russia won the right to host the Summer Universiade for the first time in 30 years. Students between 17 and 28 years of age from 141 countries will take part in this sporting event, considered to be second in importance only to the Olympic Games. The Summer Universiade consists of 12 compulsory sports and up to three optional sports chosen by the host country. The Summer Universiade 2013 will be held in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan.
Members of United Russia are meeting the New Year with concern and hope. They are primarily pinning their hopes on their leader Vladimir Putin. They have been trying to entice him to join United Russia throughout its history. In 2007, Putin described his special relationship with the party, though he officially aligned himself with United Russia only upon expiration of his presidential powers. The Prime Minister's leadership proved to be the water of life for the party, which has enabled it to keep its ratings at 60%.
Boston Globe: "During the autumn campaign, Joe Biden ruminated aloud about a foreign policy challenge that a President Obama would have to confront early on." This challenge came even earlier than he had thought. To check Barack Obama's intentions, and probably even his boldness, Russia has declared its intention to complete the sale of modern air defence systems to Iran. This deal was launched and suspended several times
