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
When Vladimir Putin stepped down as president of Russia last May, he left little to chance. Just as his predecessor Boris Yeltsin had anointed him, Putin made sure that his loyal protégé of 20 years, Dmitry Medvedev, would take his place. Putin took the helm of the country's dominant political party, United Russia, and then, as prime minister, expanded that position far beyond what the Constitution envisions. Although Putin rearranged the musical chairs, he continued to call the tune. Until now.
Whispers of a split between Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his handpicked successor, President Dmitri Medvedev, have grown louder over the past few weeks. The economic crisis is putting pressure on the ruling duo to show they're on top of things. It may also be exacerbating their differences.
The global meltdown is threatening U.S. orchestras, which rely on corporate and individual giving to survive, said Russian conductor Valery Gergiev. Gergiev -- artistic and general director of the Mariinsky Theatre (the former Kirov) in St. Petersburg -- is also principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. He is on a two-week, coast-to-coast LSO tour of the U.S. (sponsored, except for the New York leg, by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Japan's biggest drugmaker).
Priekšvēlēšanu cīņa par iespēju saimniekot Melnās jūras kūrortpilsētā Sočos varētu izvērsties daudz interesantāka nekā pagājušogad notikušās Krievijas prezidenta vēlēšanas, kuru iznākums bija skaidrs jau labu laiku iepriekš. Vairāki pazīstami Krievijas politiķi izteikuši vēlmi piedalīties Soču mēra vēlēšanās, kas notiks 26.aprīlī. Pretendentu vidū ir opozīcijas kustības Solidaritāte līderis Boriss Ņemcovs, krievu miljardieris Aleksandrs Ļebedevs, kā arī bēdīgi slavenais Andrejs Lugovojs, kurš Lielbritānijā tiek turēts aizdomās par aģenta Aleksandra Ļitviņenko noindēšanu.
Leave it to Russia's Vladimir Putin to do the unexpected. The wily former KGB officer who resigned to head Russia's domestic intelligence and counter-espionage service (the FSB) before becoming president, specializes in puzzling western critics.
The candidates may have barely announced that they are entering the contest, or drafted their manifestos, yet the victor of the race to be next mayor of Sochi is already pretty much in the bag.
Spot the split is the current favourite game in Russia as Kremlin-watchers look for evidence of division between President Medvedev and his mentor Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister.
To those of us who live and work in Hollywood, movies are always the perfect gift. So we're puzzled to read about the controversy that erupted when President Barack Obama gave British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a collection of classic movie DVDs.
Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, on Thursday announced that Moscow would go easy on Ukraine in enforcing the terms of their bilateral gas deal, in a surprise sign of improving relations between Moscow and Kiev.
L'opposition manifeste timidement, les associations dénoncent une régression des Droits de l'homme et des libertés...
