President Vladimir Putin stuck with his long-serving prime minister in his first act after being sworn in for a new term on Monday, signalling that he would keep faith with a policy direction that has brought Russia into conflict with the West.

Standing in the ornately-decorated Andreyevsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, with his hand on a gold-embossed copy of the constitution, Putin, 65, swore to serve the Russian people, to safeguard rights and freedoms, and protect Russian sovereignty.

Putin won the new six-year term after more than 70 percent of voters backed him in a March 18 presidential election. His most dangerous challenger, Alexei Navalny, was not allowed to take part. Navalny was detained on Saturday at a protest called under the slogan: "Putin is not our tsar."

Soon after the inauguration ceremony, the Kremlin issued a statement saying that Putin had nominated Dmitry Medvedev to be prime minister in his new term. Medvedev, a loyal Putin lieutenant, has held the job since 2012.

The appointment needs to be approved by the lower house of parliament, but that is likely to be a formality because the chamber is dominated by Kremlin loyalists.

Some Kremlin-watchers had speculated Putin might bring in a fresh face as prime minister to kick-start reforms of the sluggish economy and revive foreign investment curtailed by stand-offs with the West.

By choosing Medvedev - seen by people close to the Russian elite as a safe pair of hands whose chief quality is loyalty to his boss - Putin indicated he favoured continuity.

The choice is also likely to be parsed by Kremlin-watchers for any clues about what happens after Putin's current term ends in 2024. The constitution bars him from seeking a third consecutive term.

When Putin came up against the same term limits in 2008, he got around the problem by anointing Medvedev as president, before taking back the job after one term.

Some observers believe Putin, who has not anointed any heir apparent, could attempt the same manoeuvre a second time.

LIMOUSINE

Putin embarks on his new term, his fourth in total, buoyed by widespread popular support but also weighed down by the costly confrontation with the West, low economic growth, and uncertainty about what happens when his terms ends.

In a speech after the swearing-in ceremony, Putin said that in the next six years Russia would prove a strong, muscular player on the world stage, backed by a powerful military, while pushing hard to improve life for its citizens at home.

"Taking up this post, I feel a colossal sense of responsibility," Putin told his audience of Russian officials and foreign dignitaries, among them former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

For the short journey from his office to the inauguration ceremony, Putin travelled in a new Russian-made limousine. From now on, the limousine will replace the fleet of imported vehicles Putin uses, state television reported.

The choice of transport chimes with a message, often repeated by Putin, that Russia is ready to stand on its own feet and shake off its dependence on the West.

Foreign diplomats see little prospect that Russia's standoffs with the West that have dominated the past four years will ease during Putin's new term.

Clashes in the past few weeks over U.S. sanctions on Russia, the conflict in Syria, and the poisoning in England of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal have left some diplomats worried that the confrontation could spiral out of control.

TROUBLES AHEAD

Opinion polls show Putin has high levels of support among Russian citizens, and Navalny has not been able to inspire a nationwide upsurge of protests.

But the Russian economy is a potential weakness for Putin.

Buffeted by lower oil prices, falls in the rouble, inflation and the impact of sanctions, average monthly wages have fallen from the equivalent of $867 in 2013 to $553 last year.

Russia's economy, the world's eleventh largest, returned to growth of 1.5 percent last year, helped by a recovery in oil prices. But that fell far short of the growth Russians grew accustomed to earlier in Putin's rule.

Putin, first elected president in 2000, will soon have ruled longer than Soviet Communist leader Leonid Brezhnev, whose 18-year rule from 1964 to 1982 is primarily associated with stagnation. By the time his term ends, Putin will be 71.

Foreign diplomats and analysts say uncertainty over what happens after 2024 is likely to destabilise the ruling elite and spark infighting among rival Kremlin clans.

Soon after the inauguration ceremony, the Kremlin issued a statement saying that Putin had nominated Dmitry Medvedev to be prime minister in his new term. Medvedev, a loyal Putin lieutenant, has held the job since 2012

President Vladimir Putin stuck with his long-serving prime minister in his first act after being sworn in for a new term on Monday, signalling that he would keep faith with a policy direction that has brought Russia into conflict with the West. Standing in the ornately-decorated Andreyevsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, with his hand on a gold-embossed copy of the constitution, Putin, 65, swore to serve the Russian people, to safeguard rights and freedoms, and protect Russian sovereignty. Putin won the new six-year term after more than 70 percent of voters backed him in a March 18 presidential election. His most dangerous challenger, Alexei Navalny, was not allowed to take part. Navalny was detained on Saturday at a protest called under the slogan: "Putin is not our tsar." Soon after the inauguration ceremony, the Kremlin issued a statement saying that Putin had nominated Dmitry Medvedev to be prime minister in his new term. Medvedev, a loyal Putin lieutenant, has held the job since 2012. The appointment needs to be approved by the lower house of parliament, but that is likely to be a formality because the chamber is dominated by Kremlin loyalists. Some Kremlin-watchers had speculated Putin might bring in a fresh face as prime minister to kick-start reforms of the sluggish economy and revive foreign investment curtailed by stand-offs with the West. By choosing Medvedev - seen by people close to the Russian elite as a safe pair of hands whose chief quality is loyalty to his boss - Putin indicated he favoured continuity. The choice is also likely to be parsed by Kremlin-watchers for any clues about what happens after Putin's current term ends in 2024. The constitution bars him from seeking a third consecutive term. When Putin came up against the same term limits in 2008, he got around the problem by anointing Medvedev as president, before taking back the job after one term. Some observers believe Putin, who has not anointed any heir apparent, could attempt the same manoeuvre a second time. LIMOUSINE Putin embarks on his new term, his fourth in total, buoyed by widespread popular support but also weighed down by the costly confrontation with the West, low economic growth, and uncertainty about what happens when his terms ends. In a speech after the swearing-in ceremony, Putin said that in the next six years Russia would prove a strong, muscular player on the world stage, backed by a powerful military, while pushing hard to improve life for its citizens at home. "Taking up this post, I feel a colossal sense of responsibility," Putin told his audience of Russian officials and foreign dignitaries, among them former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. For the short journey from his office to the inauguration ceremony, Putin travelled in a new Russian-made limousine. From now on, the limousine will replace the fleet of imported vehicles Putin uses, state television reported. The choice of transport chimes with a message, often repeated by Putin, that Russia is ready to stand on its own feet and shake off its dependence on the West. Foreign diplomats see little prospect that Russia's standoffs with the West that have dominated the past four years will ease during Putin's new term. Clashes in the past few weeks over U.S. sanctions on Russia, the conflict in Syria, and the poisoning in England of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal have left some diplomats worried that the confrontation could spiral out of control. TROUBLES AHEAD Opinion polls show Putin has high levels of support among Russian citizens, and Navalny has not been able to inspire a nationwide upsurge of protests. But the Russian economy is a potential weakness for Putin. Buffeted by lower oil prices, falls in the rouble, inflation and the impact of sanctions, average monthly wages have fallen from the equivalent of $867 in 2013 to $553 last year. Russia's economy, the world's eleventh largest, returned to growth of 1.5 percent last year, helped by a recovery in oil prices. But that fell far short of the growth Russians grew accustomed to earlier in Putin's rule. Putin, first elected president in 2000, will soon have ruled longer than Soviet Communist leader Leonid Brezhnev, whose 18-year rule from 1964 to 1982 is primarily associated with stagnation. By the time his term ends, Putin will be 71. Foreign diplomats and analysts say uncertainty over what happens after 2024 is likely to destabilise the ruling elite and spark infighting among rival Kremlin clans.

Putin sworn in as Russia President for new term, sticks with old prime minister

Putin has taken oath as the president of Russia for the fourth time at the St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin Palace in a traditional ceremony.&nbsp;

Putin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes.&nbsp;

He will now hold office for the next 6 years till 2024.

The grand ceremony began at around 12 pm (Russia time) with thousands in attendance at the Kremlin Palace, taking pictures and videos of the president.

Government members, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of the presidential administration, judges of the Constitutional Court, the diplomatic corps and other officials are obligatorily present at&nbsp;the ceremony

Putin's third inauguration took place on May 7, 2012.

About 3,000 people were invited to attend the ceremony, including members of the Russian government, State Duma lawmakers and members of the Federation Council.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jsZr2451TBg" width="560"></iframe>

&nbsp;

he grand ceremony began at around 12 pm (Russia time) with thousands in attendance at the Kremlin Palace, taking pictures and videos of the president

Putin has taken oath as the president of Russia for the fourth time at the St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin Palace in a traditional ceremony. Putin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes. He will now hold office for the next 6 years till 2024. The grand ceremony began at around 12 pm (Russia time) with thousands in attendance at the Kremlin Palace, taking pictures and videos of the president. Government members, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of the presidential administration, judges of the Constitutional Court, the diplomatic corps and other officials are obligatorily present at the ceremony Putin's third inauguration took place on May 7, 2012. About 3,000 people were invited to attend the ceremony, including members of the Russian government, State Duma lawmakers and members of the Federation Council.

Vladimir Putin sworn in as Russia president for 4th term

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police on Saturday during street protests against Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration for a fourth term as president.

Navalny had called for demonstrations in more than 90 towns and cities across Russia against what he says is Putin's autocratic, tsar-like rule.

Before his detention, he briefly addressed supporters in central Moscow, leading them in chants of 'Down with the Tsar!".

"They said that this city belongs to Putin. Is that right?" Navalny asked his supporters. "Do you need a tsar?" he asked, eliciting a collective roar of "No!"

Putin won re-election overwhelmingly in March, extending his grip over Russia for six more years - a tenure of 24 years that would make him Moscow's longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Navalny, who was barred from running in the election on what he says was a false pretext, was detained soon after showing up on Moscow's Pushkin Square, where young people were chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "Putin is a Thief!".

Video footage showed five policemen hauling him to a waiting van by his arms and legs, a scene that was repeated dozens of times with his supporters.

Early on Sunday, shortly after midnight, Navalny said on social media he had been released from custody until a court appearance, which is expected to take place on May 11.

Navalny said he had been charged with organising an unsanctioned meeting and with disobeying the police.

"Apparently the order came down not to 'jail me before the (Putin) inauguration,'" wrote Navalny.

The penalty for the offences he is charged with could see him fined and jailed for up to 30 days.

'NOTHING WILL CHANGE'

Navalny, who has been detained and jailed numerous times for organising similar protests, said he was proud to have made it to the rally.

One protester in Moscow, wearing a rabbit's mask with the legend "Tsar of the Animals", said he was unsure what the protest would achieve.

"I have the feeling that people are gathering just to let off steam and that nothing will change," said the 31-year-old man called Alexander, who declined to give his surname.

OVD-Info, a rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining 1,597 people across Russia, nearly half of them in Moscow. Images from the Moscow protest showed pro-Kremlin Cossacks beating protesters with leather whips.

A police spokesman said around 1,500 people had protested in Moscow, of whom around 300 had been detained, the Interfax news agency reported. Reuters reporters estimated the crowd numbered several thousand.

Protests also took place in the Far East, Siberia and St. Petersburg, where Interfax cited the police as saying around 200 people had been detained. In the city of Yekaterinburg, around 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, a Reuters reporter saw over 1,000 people protesting and shouting anti-Putin slogans.

FATHER OF THE NATION

Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000.

Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.

The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not approved beforehand, and that the police have a duty to protect public order.

Putin has dismissed Navalny as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan.

Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp.

With more than 56 million votes, almost 77 percent of the total, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern.

European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of annexing Ukraine’s Crimea illegally in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police on Saturday during street protests against Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration for a fourth term as president. Navalny had called for demonstrations in more than 90 towns and cities across Russia against what he says is Putin's autocratic, tsar-like rule. Before his detention, he briefly addressed supporters in central Moscow, leading them in chants of 'Down with the Tsar!". "They said that this city belongs to Putin. Is that right?" Navalny asked his supporters. "Do you need a tsar?" he asked, eliciting a collective roar of "No!" Putin won re-election overwhelmingly in March, extending his grip over Russia for six more years - a tenure of 24 years that would make him Moscow's longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Navalny, who was barred from running in the election on what he says was a false pretext, was detained soon after showing up on Moscow's Pushkin Square, where young people were chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "Putin is a Thief!". Video footage showed five policemen hauling him to a waiting van by his arms and legs, a scene that was repeated dozens of times with his supporters. Early on Sunday, shortly after midnight, Navalny said on social media he had been released from custody until a court appearance, which is expected to take place on May 11. Navalny said he had been charged with organising an unsanctioned meeting and with disobeying the police. "Apparently the order came down not to 'jail me before the (Putin) inauguration,'" wrote Navalny. The penalty for the offences he is charged with could see him fined and jailed for up to 30 days. 'NOTHING WILL CHANGE' Navalny, who has been detained and jailed numerous times for organising similar protests, said he was proud to have made it to the rally. One protester in Moscow, wearing a rabbit's mask with the legend "Tsar of the Animals", said he was unsure what the protest would achieve. "I have the feeling that people are gathering just to let off steam and that nothing will change," said the 31-year-old man called Alexander, who declined to give his surname. OVD-Info, a rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining 1,597 people across Russia, nearly half of them in Moscow. Images from the Moscow protest showed pro-Kremlin Cossacks beating protesters with leather whips. A police spokesman said around 1,500 people had protested in Moscow, of whom around 300 had been detained, the Interfax news agency reported. Reuters reporters estimated the crowd numbered several thousand. Protests also took place in the Far East, Siberia and St. Petersburg, where Interfax cited the police as saying around 200 people had been detained. In the city of Yekaterinburg, around 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, a Reuters reporter saw over 1,000 people protesting and shouting anti-Putin slogans. FATHER OF THE NATION Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not approved beforehand, and that the police have a duty to protect public order. Putin has dismissed Navalny as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan. Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp. With more than 56 million votes, almost 77 percent of the total, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern. European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of annexing Ukraine’s Crimea illegally in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Russian opposition leader and activists held before Putin inauguration

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-nation-today-is-experiencing-difficult-times-manmohan-singh-135172">Our nation today is experiencing difficult times: Manmohan Singh</a>

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh today launched a scathing attack on the Modi government for its "disastrous policies" and "economic mismanagement", and said the country was facing crises that were avoidable.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-sends-defamation-notice-to-modi-amit-shah-and-bsy-demands-public-apology-135209">Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah sends </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-sends-defamation-notice-to-modi-amit-shah-and-bsy-demands-public-apology-135209">defamation</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-sends-defamation-notice-to-modi-amit-shah-and-bsy-demands-public-apology-135209"> notice to Modi, Amit Shah and BSY, demands </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-sends-defamation-notice-to-modi-amit-shah-and-bsy-demands-public-apology-135209">public</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-sends-defamation-notice-to-modi-amit-shah-and-bsy-demands-public-apology-135209"> apology</a>

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sent a legal notice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, and the BJP's chief minister candidate for Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/volcano-in-hawaii-destroys-26-houses-1700-people-forced-to-leave-home-135201">Hawaii volcano erupts, 1,700 people forced to flee homes</a>

Emergency authorities battling lava flows and gas erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano told some residents to "Go now" as a new fissure opened and more structures were destroyed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-to-take-oath-as-russia-president-for-4th-term-135148">Vladimir Putin takes oath as Russia president for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-to-take-oath-as-russia-president-for-4th-term-135148">4th</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-to-take-oath-as-russia-president-for-4th-term-135148"> term </a>

Putin has taken oath as the president of Russia for the fourth time at the St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin Palace in a traditional ceremony.&nbspPutin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/crpf-soldier-injured-after-terrorist-hurls-grenade-in-jks-pulwama-135183">1 injured after </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/crpf-soldier-injured-after-terrorist-hurls-grenade-in-jks-pulwama-135183">grenade</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/crpf-soldier-injured-after-terrorist-hurls-grenade-in-jks-pulwama-135183"> thrown at CRPF, police personnel in J&K's Pulwama</a>

A CRPF personnel sustained injuries in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in an attack by terrorists on Monday. The soldier was injured after a terrorist hurled a grenade at police and CRPF personnel deployed&nbspat Tahab Chowk in Pulwama district.

&nbsp

&nbsp

Our nation today is experiencing difficult times: Manmohan Singh Former prime minister Manmohan Singh today launched a scathing attack on the Modi government for its "disastrous policies" and "economic mismanagement", and said the country was facing crises that were avoidable. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah sends defamation notice to Modi, Amit Shah and BSY, demands public apology Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sent a legal notice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, and the BJP's chief minister candidate for Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa. Hawaii volcano erupts, 1,700 people forced to flee homes Emergency authorities battling lava flows and gas erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano told some residents to "Go now" as a new fissure opened and more structures were destroyed. Vladimir Putin takes oath as Russia president for 4th term Putin has taken oath as the president of Russia for the fourth time at the St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin Palace in a traditional ceremony.&nbspPutin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes. 1 injured after grenade thrown at CRPF, police personnel in J&K's Pulwama A CRPF personnel sustained injuries in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in an attack by terrorists on Monday. The soldier was injured after a terrorist hurled a grenade at police and CRPF personnel deployed&nbspat Tahab Chowk in Pulwama district.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday put forward Dmitry Medvedev for the post of prime minister, the Kremlin said in a statement on its website.

Medvedev, who had been prime minister since 2012, resigned earlier on Monday along with the rest of the government in line with procedure. Putin was on Monday sworn in for a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-to-take-oath-as-russia-president-for-4th-term-135148">fourth term</a>.

Medvedev's candidacy still has to be approved by the State Duma, or the lower house of parliament.

Medvedev, who had been prime minister since 2012, resigned earlier on Monday along with the rest of the government in line with procedure

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday put forward Dmitry Medvedev for the post of prime minister, the Kremlin said in a statement on its website. Medvedev, who had been prime minister since 2012, resigned earlier on Monday along with the rest of the government in line with procedure. Putin was on Monday sworn in for a fourth term. Medvedev's candidacy still has to be approved by the State Duma, or the lower house of parliament.

Russia's Putin taps Dmitry Medvedev for prime minister

Critics of Vladimir Putin took to the streets of Russia on Saturday ahead of his inauguration for a fourth presidential term to register their opposition to what they say is his autocratic Tsar-like rule.

Putin won a landslide re-election victory in March, extending his grip over the world's largest country for another six years until 2024, making him the longest-lasting leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin who ruled for nearly 30 years.

"If you think that he is not our Tsar, take to the streets of your cities," read a message from opposition leader Alexei Navalny encouraging people to demonstrate ahead of the protests.

"We will force the authorities, made up of swindlers and thieves, to reckon with the millions of citizens who did not vote for Putin."

Navalny, who has been repeatedly detained and jailed for organising similar protests in the past, called for rallies in more than 90 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg where protests were due to start at 1100 GMT.

Navalny activists posted photographs on social media of hundreds of protesters taking part in rallies in Russia's Far East and Siberia, and OVD Info, a human rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining around 20 people across the country.

"Putin has already been on his throne for 18 years!" one activist told a crowd in the city of Khabarovsk.

"We've ended up in a dead end over these 18 years. I don't want to put up with this!"

Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000.

Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.

Protests Illegal

The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not agreed with them beforehand. Police have broken up similar demonstrations in the past, sometimes harshly, detaining hundreds.

Putin has dismissed Navalny, who was barred from running in the presidential election on what he said was a trumped up pretext, as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan.

Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp and circumstance.

With almost 77 per cent of the vote and more than 56 million votes, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern.

However, European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Critics of Vladimir Putin took to the streets of Russia on Saturday ahead of his inauguration for a fourth presidential term to register their opposition to what they say is his autocratic Tsar-like rule

Critics of Vladimir Putin took to the streets of Russia on Saturday ahead of his inauguration for a fourth presidential term to register their opposition to what they say is his autocratic Tsar-like rule. Putin won a landslide re-election victory in March, extending his grip over the world's largest country for another six years until 2024, making him the longest-lasting leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin who ruled for nearly 30 years. "If you think that he is not our Tsar, take to the streets of your cities," read a message from opposition leader Alexei Navalny encouraging people to demonstrate ahead of the protests. "We will force the authorities, made up of swindlers and thieves, to reckon with the millions of citizens who did not vote for Putin." Navalny, who has been repeatedly detained and jailed for organising similar protests in the past, called for rallies in more than 90 towns and cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg where protests were due to start at 1100 GMT. Navalny activists posted photographs on social media of hundreds of protesters taking part in rallies in Russia's Far East and Siberia, and OVD Info, a human rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining around 20 people across the country. "Putin has already been on his throne for 18 years!" one activist told a crowd in the city of Khabarovsk. "We've ended up in a dead end over these 18 years. I don't want to put up with this!" Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. Protests Illegal The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not agreed with them beforehand. Police have broken up similar demonstrations in the past, sometimes harshly, detaining hundreds. Putin has dismissed Navalny, who was barred from running in the presidential election on what he said was a trumped up pretext, as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan. Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp and circumstance. With almost 77 per cent of the vote and more than 56 million votes, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern. However, European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Putin opponents protest across Russia before presidential inauguration

&nbsp;Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan said on Monday he was resigning to help safeguard civic peace following almost two weeks of mass street protests that have plunged the impoverished ex-Soviet republic into political crisis.

Sarksyan, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had served as Armenia's president for a decade until this month and had faced accusations of clinging to power when parliament elected him as prime minister last week.

Under a revised constitution, the prime minister now holds most power in the tiny southern Caucasus nation, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial.

Pressure on the 63-year-old to quit had increased sharply on Monday when unarmed soldiers in the capital Yerevan joined the anti-government protests, which first erupted on April 13.

Though peaceful, the tumult has threatened to destabilise Armenia, a key Russian ally in a volatile region riven by its decades-long, low-level conflict with Azerbaijan. Moscow, which has two military bases in Armenia, was closely watching events.

"I got it wrong," Sarksyan said in a statement issued by his office.

"In the current situation there are several solutions, but I won't choose any of them. It's not my style. I am quitting the country's leadership and the post of prime minister of Armenia."

He said he was bowing to protesters' demands and wanted his country to remain peaceful.

Armenia's 2025 dollar-denominated bond fell 0.83 cents after Sarksyan said he would resign, hitting a one-year low.

Former Armenian prime minister Karen Karapetyan, an ally of Sarksyan from his ruling pro-Russian Republican Party, was named as acting prime minister, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing the Armenian government's press office.

Armenia's political parties in parliament now have seven days to put forward the name of a new prime minister. Sarksyan's allies remain in key positions in the government and it remains unclear whether his resignation will herald any real change. Protesters loudly celebrated Sarksyan's resignation.

Some hugged policemen in the street amid repeated cries of "Hurrah!", others beeped car horns, and some residents of Yerevan were even seen dancing outside.

The protests which toppled Sarksyan lasted for 11 days and saw tens of thousands of protesters march through Yerevan and other towns, blocking streets and staging sit-ins that disrupted daily life.

On Sunday police had detained three opposition leaders and nearly 200 protesters, drawing a rebuke from the European Union. Police released Nikol Pashinyan, a lawmaker regarded as the main opposition leader, on Monday.

Asked about the crisis on Monday before Sarksyan's resignation, the Kremlin called Armenia an "extraordinarily important country" for Russia, but dismissed the idea it might intervene, calling the crisis a domestic matter.

Last week Putin rang Sarksyan to congratulate him on becoming premier. As president, Sarksyan took Armenia, a country of about three million people, into a Russia-backed economic bloc and bought weapons from Moscow.

The protesters' complaints were mainly domestic and focussed on pervasive corruption and poverty in a country that won independence from Moscow in 1991 but has been hampered by its conflict with Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh and other issues.

But critics have also accused Sarkasyan of moving landlocked Armenia too close to Russia at the expense of better ties with the West and increased prosperity, and it was unclear whether his political demise could lead to a change in foreign policy.

In what may have been a turning point in the protests, soldiers wearing military uniforms marched through Yerevan on Monday morning with the protesters.

Images broadcast on the internet and social media showed the soldiers hugging protesters and waving the country's national flag, in a development the Armenian Defence Ministry condemned as illegal and promised to harshly punish.

Opposition leader Pashinyan had told Sarkasyan that his time was up in a tense meeting on Sunday.

"The situation in Armenia has changed, you don't have the power of which you are told," he had told him. "In Armenia, the power has passed to the people."

Sarksyan, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had served as Armenia's president for a decade until this month and had faced accusations of clinging to power when parliament elected him as prime minister last week

Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan said on Monday he was resigning to help safeguard civic peace following almost two weeks of mass street protests that have plunged the impoverished ex-Soviet republic into political crisis. Sarksyan, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had served as Armenia's president for a decade until this month and had faced accusations of clinging to power when parliament elected him as prime minister last week. Under a revised constitution, the prime minister now holds most power in the tiny southern Caucasus nation, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial. Pressure on the 63-year-old to quit had increased sharply on Monday when unarmed soldiers in the capital Yerevan joined the anti-government protests, which first erupted on April 13. Though peaceful, the tumult has threatened to destabilise Armenia, a key Russian ally in a volatile region riven by its decades-long, low-level conflict with Azerbaijan. Moscow, which has two military bases in Armenia, was closely watching events. "I got it wrong," Sarksyan said in a statement issued by his office. "In the current situation there are several solutions, but I won't choose any of them. It's not my style. I am quitting the country's leadership and the post of prime minister of Armenia." He said he was bowing to protesters' demands and wanted his country to remain peaceful. Armenia's 2025 dollar-denominated bond fell 0.83 cents after Sarksyan said he would resign, hitting a one-year low. Former Armenian prime minister Karen Karapetyan, an ally of Sarksyan from his ruling pro-Russian Republican Party, was named as acting prime minister, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing the Armenian government's press office. Armenia's political parties in parliament now have seven days to put forward the name of a new prime minister. Sarksyan's allies remain in key positions in the government and it remains unclear whether his resignation will herald any real change. Protesters loudly celebrated Sarksyan's resignation. Some hugged policemen in the street amid repeated cries of "Hurrah!", others beeped car horns, and some residents of Yerevan were even seen dancing outside. The protests which toppled Sarksyan lasted for 11 days and saw tens of thousands of protesters march through Yerevan and other towns, blocking streets and staging sit-ins that disrupted daily life. On Sunday police had detained three opposition leaders and nearly 200 protesters, drawing a rebuke from the European Union. Police released Nikol Pashinyan, a lawmaker regarded as the main opposition leader, on Monday. Asked about the crisis on Monday before Sarksyan's resignation, the Kremlin called Armenia an "extraordinarily important country" for Russia, but dismissed the idea it might intervene, calling the crisis a domestic matter. Last week Putin rang Sarksyan to congratulate him on becoming premier. As president, Sarksyan took Armenia, a country of about three million people, into a Russia-backed economic bloc and bought weapons from Moscow. The protesters' complaints were mainly domestic and focussed on pervasive corruption and poverty in a country that won independence from Moscow in 1991 but has been hampered by its conflict with Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh and other issues. But critics have also accused Sarkasyan of moving landlocked Armenia too close to Russia at the expense of better ties with the West and increased prosperity, and it was unclear whether his political demise could lead to a change in foreign policy. In what may have been a turning point in the protests, soldiers wearing military uniforms marched through Yerevan on Monday morning with the protesters. Images broadcast on the internet and social media showed the soldiers hugging protesters and waving the country's national flag, in a development the Armenian Defence Ministry condemned as illegal and promised to harshly punish. Opposition leader Pashinyan had told Sarkasyan that his time was up in a tense meeting on Sunday. "The situation in Armenia has changed, you don't have the power of which you are told," he had told him. "In Armenia, the power has passed to the people."

Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan resigns following 11 day mass protest

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the overnight U.S.-led missile attack on Syria and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

Putin said the US&nbsp;actions in Syria made the humanitarian catastrophe worse and caused pain for civilians, as well as damaging international relations.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/action-will-not-be-without-consequences-russia-on-syria-strikes-130335">Action will not be without consequences, says Russia</a>

Putin said the US action in Syria made the humanitarian catastrophe worse and caused pain for civilians, as well as damaging international relations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the overnight U.S.-led missile attack on Syria and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Putin said the US actions in Syria made the humanitarian catastrophe worse and caused pain for civilians, as well as damaging international relations. Also read: Action will not be without consequences, says Russia

Putin condemns strike on Syria, calls for emergency UN meeting

&nbsp;US President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response.&nbsp;

Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night "or very shortly thereafter" on a response, adding that the United States had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria.

“But we can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed ... we can’t let that happen in our world ... especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, we’re able to stop it.”

The suspected chemical weapons attack late on Saturday killed at least 60 people, with more than 1,000 injured in several sites in Douma, a city near the capital, Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organization.

Initial US&nbsp;assessments have so far been unable to determine conclusively what materials were used in the attack and could not say with certainty that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s government forces were behind it.

Trump said, however, that Washington was "getting more clarity" on who was responsible for the attack.

US&nbsp;officials told Reuters that Washington was weighing a multinational military response. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone to coordinate their response, the White House said.

Asked at a Cabinet meeting earlier on Monday if Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility for the attack, Trump said: "He may, yeah, he may. And if he does, it’s going to be very tough, very tough."

On Sunday, the US&nbsp;president who had sought warmer relations with Russia criticized Putin by name on Twitter as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing "Animal Assad."

The US&nbsp;envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Washington "will respond" to the attack regardless of whether the UN&nbsp;Security Council acts or not.

Moscow said it warned the United States of "grave repercussions" if it carried out an attack against Syrian government forces.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the attack.

International bodies led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were trying to establish exactly what happened in Douma, a rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta district.

Syrian government forces had launched an air and ground assault on Douma, the last town held by rebels in eastern Ghouta, on Friday.&nbsp;

Shocked the conscience

Britain and the United States agreed on Monday that the attack bore the hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by Assad`s government, but neither country gave details of what kind of chemical might have been used or how the attack was staged.

"The images, especially of suffering children, have shocked the conscience of the entire civilized world," White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said. "Sadly, these actions are consistent with Assad`s established pattern of chemical weapons use."

The United States fired missiles on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town. The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces and Assad`s position has only become stronger with Iranian and Russian support.

The stakes are higher for any new US&nbsp;military action, with Trump explicitly mentioning Iran and Russia in connection with the weekend attack.

US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday accused Russia of falling short on its obligations to ensure that Syria abandoned its chemical weapons capabilities.

The Russian military said on Monday its medics had examined patients in a hospital in Douma and had found no traces of a chemical attack, Interfax news agency reported.

Russia and Syria both offered during the UN&nbsp;Security Council meeting on Monday to take OPCW investigators to Douma.

The OPCW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But weapons inspectors are not expected to go to Syria after being attacked twice while tying to get to the sites of chemical weapons attacks since 2013.

Instead, they have in recent investigations gathered blood samples from victims and interviewed witnesses outside of Syria.

The United States plans to call for a UN&nbsp;Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for a new inquiry into responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, diplomats said.

Monday air strikes

The Syria conflict was further complicated on Monday when unidentified war planes struck a Syrian air base near Homs, killing at least 14 people, including Iranian personnel. Syria and Russia accused Israel of carrying out the attack.

Israel, which has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of its neighbour`s 7-year-old civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid.

But Israeli officials said the Tiyas, or T-4, air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the strike on the T-4 base was a dangerous development.

The incidents in Douma and Tiyas demonstrated the complex and volatile nature of the Syria war, which involves a number of countries and insurgent groups.

Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night 'or very shortly thereafter' on a response, adding that the United States had 'a lot of options militarily' on Syria

US President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response. Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night "or very shortly thereafter" on a response, adding that the United States had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria. “But we can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed ... we can’t let that happen in our world ... especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, we’re able to stop it.” The suspected chemical weapons attack late on Saturday killed at least 60 people, with more than 1,000 injured in several sites in Douma, a city near the capital, Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organization. Initial US assessments have so far been unable to determine conclusively what materials were used in the attack and could not say with certainty that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s government forces were behind it. Trump said, however, that Washington was "getting more clarity" on who was responsible for the attack. US officials told Reuters that Washington was weighing a multinational military response. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone to coordinate their response, the White House said. Asked at a Cabinet meeting earlier on Monday if Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility for the attack, Trump said: "He may, yeah, he may. And if he does, it’s going to be very tough, very tough." On Sunday, the US president who had sought warmer relations with Russia criticized Putin by name on Twitter as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing "Animal Assad." The US envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Washington "will respond" to the attack regardless of whether the UN Security Council acts or not. Moscow said it warned the United States of "grave repercussions" if it carried out an attack against Syrian government forces. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the attack. International bodies led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were trying to establish exactly what happened in Douma, a rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta district. Syrian government forces had launched an air and ground assault on Douma, the last town held by rebels in eastern Ghouta, on Friday. Shocked the conscience Britain and the United States agreed on Monday that the attack bore the hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by Assad`s government, but neither country gave details of what kind of chemical might have been used or how the attack was staged. "The images, especially of suffering children, have shocked the conscience of the entire civilized world," White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said. "Sadly, these actions are consistent with Assad`s established pattern of chemical weapons use." The United States fired missiles on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town. The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces and Assad`s position has only become stronger with Iranian and Russian support. The stakes are higher for any new US military action, with Trump explicitly mentioning Iran and Russia in connection with the weekend attack. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday accused Russia of falling short on its obligations to ensure that Syria abandoned its chemical weapons capabilities. The Russian military said on Monday its medics had examined patients in a hospital in Douma and had found no traces of a chemical attack, Interfax news agency reported. Russia and Syria both offered during the UN Security Council meeting on Monday to take OPCW investigators to Douma. The OPCW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But weapons inspectors are not expected to go to Syria after being attacked twice while tying to get to the sites of chemical weapons attacks since 2013. Instead, they have in recent investigations gathered blood samples from victims and interviewed witnesses outside of Syria. The United States plans to call for a UN Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for a new inquiry into responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, diplomats said. Monday air strikes The Syria conflict was further complicated on Monday when unidentified war planes struck a Syrian air base near Homs, killing at least 14 people, including Iranian personnel. Syria and Russia accused Israel of carrying out the attack. Israel, which has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of its neighbour`s 7-year-old civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid. But Israeli officials said the Tiyas, or T-4, air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the strike on the T-4 base was a dangerous development. The incidents in Douma and Tiyas demonstrated the complex and volatile nature of the Syria war, which involves a number of countries and insurgent groups.

Trump vows quick action in response to suspected chemical attack in Syria

An article published in The New York Times with a headline 'Is Putin a CIA agent'&nbsp;became a butt of jokes on Twitter on Thursday.

American journalist and author, Thomas Friedman wrote a column in which he discussed&nbsp;US President Donald Trump and his reluctance to say anything 'negative' about Russia and how James Clapper a former director of National Intelligence had reportedly said that the way Putin manages Trump as if he were a "Russian intelligence asset".

Fridman in the article asked&nbsp;that if he were a Russian citizen, he'd be asking "Is Putin a US agent?"

"Why? Because Putin has undertaken so many actions in recent years that contributed to the weakening of Russia’s economy and human capital base that you have to wonder whether he’s secretly on the CIA’s payroll," the article reads.

The article further hit out against&nbsp;Russia's intervention in Syria which Friedman said was "another short-term sugar high for his base."

After the article was&nbsp;published, Friedman was slammed by his fellow journalists calling it "breathtakingly stupid"&nbsp;and "dumb".

The Twitterati also ridicule the article in the most savage way possible:

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I seriously hope the <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> didn’t actually pay <a href="https://twitter.com/tomfriedman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tomfriedman</a> for writing this sh*te. <a href="https://t.co/2k5YwjyfWu">pic.twitter.com/2k5YwjyfWu</a>
— Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) <a href="https://twitter.com/27khv/status/981862408837914624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It's worth reading this, perhaps 8 to 10 of the dumbest paragraphs ever printed in the New York Times, and seriously asking what possible social benefit the underlying concept of a columnist brings the world. 
 
Thomas Friedman, with: "Is Putin a CIA Agent?" <a href="https://t.co/OSVGpiXUH9">pic.twitter.com/OSVGpiXUH9</a>
— nuke, the baghwan (@k_delamont) <a href="https://twitter.com/k_delamont/status/981366568897609730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Thomas Friedman on Russia is —&nbsp;SHOCK —&nbsp;insufferable.
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiriamElder/status/981559835375341575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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I think Thomas Friedman eats meth covered cornflakes for breakfast. <a href="https://t.co/58VL5cYNMc">pic.twitter.com/58VL5cYNMc</a>
— Fire Joy Reid (@FireJoy_Ried) <a href="https://twitter.com/FireJoy_Ried/status/981665484805419008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Report: Thomas Friedman somehow makes ruling class politics dumber, asks “Is Putin a CIA agent?” in NYT headline.
— Rainer Shea (@rainer_shea) <a href="https://twitter.com/rainer_shea/status/981982286043213824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Friedman&nbsp;also called&nbsp;Putin "insecure"&nbsp;about his popularity because&nbsp;he did not allow&nbsp;any independent candidate to run against him in the latest presidential election.&nbsp;

"Why is Putin so insecure about his real popularity in Russia that even after nearly 20 years at Russia’s helm, he was afraid to allow a single credible independent candidate to run against him in the latest presidential election?"

"Here’s the real truth: Putin consistently acts like a farmer who sells his most valuable beef in return for cubes of sugar," Friedman's article said.

An article published in The New York Times with a headline 'Is Putin a CIA agent' became a recent butt of jokes on Twitter on Thursday

An article published in The New York Times with a headline 'Is Putin a CIA agent' became a butt of jokes on Twitter on Thursday. American journalist and author, Thomas Friedman wrote a column in which he discussed US President Donald Trump and his reluctance to say anything 'negative' about Russia and how James Clapper a former director of National Intelligence had reportedly said that the way Putin manages Trump as if he were a "Russian intelligence asset". Fridman in the article asked that if he were a Russian citizen, he'd be asking "Is Putin a US agent?" "Why? Because Putin has undertaken so many actions in recent years that contributed to the weakening of Russia’s economy and human capital base that you have to wonder whether he’s secretly on the CIA’s payroll," the article reads. The article further hit out against Russia's intervention in Syria which Friedman said was "another short-term sugar high for his base." After the article was published, Friedman was slammed by his fellow journalists calling it "breathtakingly stupid" and "dumb". The Twitterati also ridicule the article in the most savage way possible: I seriously hope the @nytimes didn’t actually pay @tomfriedman for writing this sh*te. pic.twitter.com/2k5YwjyfWu — Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) April 5, 2018 × It's worth reading this, perhaps 8 to 10 of the dumbest paragraphs ever printed in the New York Times, and seriously asking what possible social benefit the underlying concept of a columnist brings the world. Thomas Friedman, with: "Is Putin a CIA Agent?" pic.twitter.com/OSVGpiXUH9 — nuke, the baghwan (@k_delamont) April 4, 2018 × Thomas Friedman on Russia is — SHOCK — insufferable. — Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) April 4, 2018 × I think Thomas Friedman eats meth covered cornflakes for breakfast. pic.twitter.com/58VL5cYNMc — Fire Joy Reid (@FireJoy_Ried) April 4, 2018 × Report: Thomas Friedman somehow makes ruling class politics dumber, asks “Is Putin a CIA agent?” in NYT headline. — Rainer Shea (@rainer_shea) April 5, 2018 × Friedman also called Putin "insecure" about his popularity because he did not allow any independent candidate to run against him in the latest presidential election. "Why is Putin so insecure about his real popularity in Russia that even after nearly 20 years at Russia’s helm, he was afraid to allow a single credible independent candidate to run against him in the latest presidential election?" "Here’s the real truth: Putin consistently acts like a farmer who sells his most valuable beef in return for cubes of sugar," Friedman's article said.

Twitter ridicules 'Is Putin CIA agent?' headline by New York Times

The Russian military claims to have successfully tested its latest intercontinental ballistic missile, Sarmat.

With Sarmat, the country plans to replace its Soviet-designed 'Voyevoda'.

The missile was launched in the early stage of its flight.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin had said earlier that Sarmat could hit a target anywhere in the world.&nbsp;

Sarmat has a higher range than 'Satan' and is equipped to carry a bigger number of nuclear warheads. It cannot be intercepted.&nbsp;

Sarmat weighs a whopping 200 metric tons and was successfully tested on Friday from Plesetsk, northwestern Russia.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Russian military claims to have successfully tested its latest intercontinental ballistic missile, 'Sarmat', which will replace the Soviet-designed 'Voyevoda'

The Russian military claims to have successfully tested its latest intercontinental ballistic missile, Sarmat. With Sarmat, the country plans to replace its Soviet-designed 'Voyevoda'. The missile was launched in the early stage of its flight. Russian President Vladimir Putin had said earlier that Sarmat could hit a target anywhere in the world. Sarmat has a higher range than 'Satan' and is equipped to carry a bigger number of nuclear warheads. It cannot be intercepted. Sarmat weighs a whopping 200 metric tons and was successfully tested on Friday from Plesetsk, northwestern Russia.

Russia's new missile 'Sarmat' can hit target anywhere in the world

Vladimir Putin has been declared the victor in the presidential election and is set for another six years in the Kremlin till 2024.&nbsp

President Putin said on Monday he aims to focus his new term on "domestic policy issues"&nbspand strengthening the country's "defence capabilities".

Putin made the comments while meeting the co-chairs of his election campaign headquarters in Moscow.

"The main thing that we are going to do is of course, first of all the internal agenda, it is first of all ensuring the growth of the Russian Federation economy, and making it innovative, this is development in the sphere of healthcare, education, industrial output and as I've said before of infrastructure and other areas crucial for moving the country forward and lifting the standard of living for our citizens. This is what we will pay attention to first and foremost to," Putin said during the meeting.&nbsp

"There are issues related to ensuring the defence and security capabilities of the country, we cannot do without it but nevertheless the most important thing for us is the internal agenda and I repeat again, I really count on your support and that of our extended team and large team when it comes to addressing the issues the country is facing and which we must solve and which we will surely solve together," he said.&nbsp

President Vladimir Putin added&nbspthat Russia would cut its military spending, a day after he won a presidential election with a landslide.&nbsp

"We have plans to decrease our defence spending both this year and next. But this will not lead to any decline in the country's defence capacity," he said during a meeting with other candidates.

"We will not allow for any sort of arms race," he said. Putin appeared to set the course for exactly that when he unveiled a new generation of "invincible" nuclear weapons during a state of the nation address earlier this month.

He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons.

The announcement came as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016.

Putin said that Russia wanted constructive dialogue with its international partners, though he said they would need to reciprocate, and respect Russia.

On Sunday, he declared victory in front of thousands of people gathered in below-freezing temperatures at Moscow's Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin, where he called for unity in the country.

"We are a single team, I am a member of this team, and all those who cast their ballots today are members of our large national team," he said, after a colorful show of high-energy musical performances.

"I see this as a sign of trust and hope, the hope of our people that we will work as hard, with the same responsibility and effectiveness as before. Thank you for being such a powerful, millions-strong team. We will definitely succeed."

Under current Russian law, Putin cannot stand for re-election. But he has not groomed a successor, prompting speculation he may try to find ways to extend his power beyond this term.

Meanwhile, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that China-Russia ties will see "new fruits"&nbspand opportunities.

"It is a critical time for both&nbspChina&nbspand Russian for development and rejuvenation," she said.&nbsp

Hua said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Putin, adding that the&nbspChina-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at the best historical phase.

In his next six years, Putin is likely to assert Russia's power overseas with full force, reports said.

Just weeks ago, he announced that Russia has developed advanced nuclear weapons capable of evading missile defenses. The Russian military campaign that bolsters the Syrian government is clearly aimed at strengthening Moscow's foothold in the Middle East, and Russia eagerly eyes any reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula as an economic opportunity.

Putin must now decide on how to groom a successor or devise a strategy to circumvent term limits, how to expand and grow the economy which&nbspstill dependent on oil and gas, and how to improve medical care and social services in regions far removed from the urban areas of Moscow.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the authors and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

On Sunday, he declared victory in front of thousands of people gathered in below-freezing temperatures at Moscow's Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin, where he called for unity in the country

Vladimir Putin has been declared the victor in the presidential election and is set for another six years in the Kremlin till 2024. President Putin said on Monday he aims to focus his new term on "domestic policy issues"&nbspand strengthening the country's "defence capabilities". Putin made the comments while meeting the co-chairs of his election campaign headquarters in Moscow. "The main thing that we are going to do is of course, first of all the internal agenda, it is first of all ensuring the growth of the Russian Federation economy, and making it innovative, this is development in the sphere of healthcare, education, industrial output and as I've said before of infrastructure and other areas crucial for moving the country forward and lifting the standard of living for our citizens. This is what we will pay attention to first and foremost to," Putin said during the meeting. "There are issues related to ensuring the defence and security capabilities of the country, we cannot do without it but nevertheless the most important thing for us is the internal agenda and I repeat again, I really count on your support and that of our extended team and large team when it comes to addressing the issues the country is facing and which we must solve and which we will surely solve together," he said. President Vladimir Putin added&nbspthat Russia would cut its military spending, a day after he won a presidential election with a landslide. "We have plans to decrease our defence spending both this year and next. But this will not lead to any decline in the country's defence capacity," he said during a meeting with other candidates. "We will not allow for any sort of arms race," he said. Putin appeared to set the course for exactly that when he unveiled a new generation of "invincible" nuclear weapons during a state of the nation address earlier this month. He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons. The announcement came as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016. Putin said that Russia wanted constructive dialogue with its international partners, though he said they would need to reciprocate, and respect Russia. On Sunday, he declared victory in front of thousands of people gathered in below-freezing temperatures at Moscow's Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin, where he called for unity in the country. "We are a single team, I am a member of this team, and all those who cast their ballots today are members of our large national team," he said, after a colorful show of high-energy musical performances. "I see this as a sign of trust and hope, the hope of our people that we will work as hard, with the same responsibility and effectiveness as before. Thank you for being such a powerful, millions-strong team. We will definitely succeed." Under current Russian law, Putin cannot stand for re-election. But he has not groomed a successor, prompting speculation he may try to find ways to extend his power beyond this term. Meanwhile, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that China-Russia ties will see "new fruits"&nbspand opportunities. "It is a critical time for both&nbspChina&nbspand Russian for development and rejuvenation," she said. Hua said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Putin, adding that the&nbspChina-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at the best historical phase. In his next six years, Putin is likely to assert Russia's power overseas with full force, reports said. Just weeks ago, he announced that Russia has developed advanced nuclear weapons capable of evading missile defenses. The Russian military campaign that bolsters the Syrian government is clearly aimed at strengthening Moscow's foothold in the Middle East, and Russia eagerly eyes any reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula as an economic opportunity. Putin must now decide on how to groom a successor or devise a strategy to circumvent term limits, how to expand and grow the economy which&nbspstill dependent on oil and gas, and how to improve medical care and social services in regions far removed from the urban areas of Moscow. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the authors and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Putin's focus to be on domestic policy & strengthening Russia's defence

Russia&#39;s Defence Ministry said more than 105,000 people have left Syria&#39;s Eastern Ghouta rebel enclave, including another 700 on Saturday since government forces began an assault to retake it a month ago, RIA news agency reported, citing the military.

RIA referred to evacuations taking place during &quot;humanitarian pauses&quot;. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s main ally in the conflict, ordered daily five-hour ceasefires and the creation of a &quot;humanitarian corridor&quot; to allow civilians to leave Eastern Ghouta.

In the event, the offensive - among the fiercest of the seven-year civil war - was largely carried out in defiance of international pleas to halt and honour a truce, and about 90 per cent of eastern Ghouta is back under government control.

Russia's Defence Ministry said more than 105,000 people have left Syria's Eastern Ghouta rebel enclave, including another 700 on Saturday since government forces began an assault to retake it a month ago

Russia's Defence Ministry said more than 105,000 people have left Syria's Eastern Ghouta rebel enclave, including another 700 on Saturday since government forces began an assault to retake it a month ago, RIA news agency reported, citing the military. RIA referred to evacuations taking place during "humanitarian pauses". Russian President Vladimir Putin, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main ally in the conflict, ordered daily five-hour ceasefires and the creation of a "humanitarian corridor" to allow civilians to leave Eastern Ghouta. In the event, the offensive - among the fiercest of the seven-year civil war - was largely carried out in defiance of international pleas to halt and honour a truce, and about 90 per cent of eastern Ghouta is back under government control.

Russia says over 105,000 civilians have left Syria's Eastern Ghouta: RIA

US President Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin Tuesday on his re-election, as the leaders raised the prospect of a summit in the near future -- while sidestepping both the issue of election meddling and a spy attack that has rocked Moscow`s relations with the West.

Trump told reporters at the White House he had spoken with Putin, two days after the Russian strongman sailed to a fourth term as president, and with ties strained by the Cold War-style intrigue over the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain.

&quot;I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on his electoral victory,&quot; the US leader said.

&quot;The call had to do also with the fact that we will probably get together in the not-too-distant future,&quot; he added.

According to a Kremlin statement, the two leaders also stressed the importance of joint efforts to limit an arms race and boost economic cooperation.

&quot;On the whole, the conversation was constructive and business-like,&quot; the Kremlin said, adding that its goal was to help the two countries &quot;overcome the problems that had accumulated in the Russian-US relations&quot;.

Russia is under pressure from London and its allies to explain how its former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on British soil, with a nerve agent the UK says is Soviet-designed.

Moscow has denied being involved.

Although the nerve attack has topped global headlines for weeks, it did not come up during the leaders` conversation, according to both the Kremlin and White House.

&quot;I don`t believe that was discussed in today`s call,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Neither did they address Washington`s imposition last week of a new round of sanctions against Moscow designed to punish Russians responsible for attempts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential elections.

Nor did they discuss the questions that have been raised over the weekend poll in Russia.

&quot;The focus was to talk about areas of shared interests,&quot; Sanders said.Those shared interests, according to the Kremlin, included the crises in Ukraine and Syria, and ways of &quot;developing practical cooperation&quot; in various spheres including the fight against terrorism.

Pyongyang`s nuclear program was on the agenda as Trump pushes forward with plans for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

&quot;Satisfaction has been expressed with a certain decrease in tensions around the Korean peninsula,&quot; the Kremlin added.

The leaders also paid &quot;special attention&quot; to &quot;working out the issue of holding a possible meeting at the highest level.&quot;

In the aftermath of an election that appears to have had significant flaws, a prominent American critic of Putin -- and of Trump himself -- offered a stinging denunciation of the US commander in chief`s call.

&quot;An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections,&quot; said US Senator John McCain, who is home in Arizona battling cancer.

&quot;And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election to determine their country`s future.&quot;

The White House had earlier indicated that no call with Putin was planned, as the Russian leader played down talk of a rift.

On Sunday, Putin secured a landslide victory in a presidential election that saw him return to the Kremlin with a record vote share of 76.66 percent.

The Kremlin on Tuesday released a list of those who had sent congratulatory messages -- including the leaders of Greece, Germany, Iran, the Czech Republic, Finland, Syria and North Korea.

Western leaders were slow to congratulate Putin as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud, though fewer irregularities were reported than in previous years.

Putin said Monday he would address disputes with the West but stressed that international relations were a two-way street.

&quot;From our side, we will do all we can so that the disputes with our partners be resolved by political and diplomatic means,&quot; he said.

&quot;It goes without saying that not everything depends on us -- as with love, both sides have to be involved, otherwise there can be no love at all.&quot;

According to a Kremlin statement, the two leaders also stressed the importance of joint efforts to limit an arms race and boost economic cooperation

US President Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin Tuesday on his re-election, as the leaders raised the prospect of a summit in the near future -- while sidestepping both the issue of election meddling and a spy attack that has rocked Moscow`s relations with the West. Trump told reporters at the White House he had spoken with Putin, two days after the Russian strongman sailed to a fourth term as president, and with ties strained by the Cold War-style intrigue over the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain. "I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on his electoral victory," the US leader said. "The call had to do also with the fact that we will probably get together in the not-too-distant future," he added. According to a Kremlin statement, the two leaders also stressed the importance of joint efforts to limit an arms race and boost economic cooperation. "On the whole, the conversation was constructive and business-like," the Kremlin said, adding that its goal was to help the two countries "overcome the problems that had accumulated in the Russian-US relations". Russia is under pressure from London and its allies to explain how its former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on British soil, with a nerve agent the UK says is Soviet-designed. Moscow has denied being involved. Although the nerve attack has topped global headlines for weeks, it did not come up during the leaders` conversation, according to both the Kremlin and White House. "I don`t believe that was discussed in today`s call," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. Neither did they address Washington`s imposition last week of a new round of sanctions against Moscow designed to punish Russians responsible for attempts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential elections. Nor did they discuss the questions that have been raised over the weekend poll in Russia. "The focus was to talk about areas of shared interests," Sanders said.Those shared interests, according to the Kremlin, included the crises in Ukraine and Syria, and ways of "developing practical cooperation" in various spheres including the fight against terrorism. Pyongyang`s nuclear program was on the agenda as Trump pushes forward with plans for a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "Satisfaction has been expressed with a certain decrease in tensions around the Korean peninsula," the Kremlin added. The leaders also paid "special attention" to "working out the issue of holding a possible meeting at the highest level." In the aftermath of an election that appears to have had significant flaws, a prominent American critic of Putin -- and of Trump himself -- offered a stinging denunciation of the US commander in chief`s call. "An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections," said US Senator John McCain, who is home in Arizona battling cancer. "And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election to determine their country`s future." The White House had earlier indicated that no call with Putin was planned, as the Russian leader played down talk of a rift. On Sunday, Putin secured a landslide victory in a presidential election that saw him return to the Kremlin with a record vote share of 76.66 percent. The Kremlin on Tuesday released a list of those who had sent congratulatory messages -- including the leaders of Greece, Germany, Iran, the Czech Republic, Finland, Syria and North Korea. Western leaders were slow to congratulate Putin as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud, though fewer irregularities were reported than in previous years. Putin said Monday he would address disputes with the West but stressed that international relations were a two-way street. "From our side, we will do all we can so that the disputes with our partners be resolved by political and diplomatic means," he said. "It goes without saying that not everything depends on us -- as with love, both sides have to be involved, otherwise there can be no love at all."

US President Donald Trump  congratulates Vladimir Putin on election, summit on cards

Vladimir Putin on Monday said he would address disputes with the West after an election that saw him <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-elections-putin-wins-fourth-term-with-7667-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">return to the Kremlin</a> with a record vote share, as Moscow faces increasing isolation.

International leaders were slow to congratulate the Russian president after a Sunday election that saw him take almost 77 percent of the vote, as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud.&nbsp;

The poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain along with fresh sanctions from Washington over allegations of meddling in the US 2016 election have isolated Moscow to an extent not seen since the Cold War.

The president, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades, on Monday denied he was driving a new arms race with Washington after he unveiled a range of &quot;invincible&quot; nuclear weapons this month.

&quot;From our side, we will do all we can so that the disputes with our (international) partners be resolved by political and diplomatic means,&quot; he said during a meeting with the seven other candidates he resoundingly defeated on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;It goes without saying that not everything depends on us -- as with love, both sides have to be involved, otherwise there can be no love at all,&quot; he said.

Putin said he would focus on &quot;increasing the well-being of the residents of this country&quot; through investments in healthcare, education and infrastructure during his next term.

- Carrot and stick - 
With Putin&#39;s most vocal opponent Alexei Navalny barred from running for legal reasons, the outcome of the weekend election was never in doubt, and most of the suspense lay in how many people would turn out to vote.&nbsp;

The Kremlin pushed for high participation to give greater legitimacy to a fourth term for Putin, who is already Russia&#39;s longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin.&nbsp;

But Navalny called on supporters to boycott the vote and sent out more than 30,000 monitors to voting stations.

Navalny&#39;s movement and the non-governmental election monitor Golos reported ballot stuffing, repeat voting and Putin supporters being bussed into polling stations en masse.

Fewer irregularities were reported than in previous years, however. An OSCE observer mission said that although the election was marred by a lack of &quot;genuine competition&quot;, it was generally well conducted.

Authorities used both the carrot and the stick to boost engagement in the polls.

Selfie competitions, giveaways, food festivals and children&#39;s entertainers were laid on at polling stations to entice voters.

But employees at state and private companies, as well as students, said they had come under other pressure to vote.

&#39;Modernising Russia&#39; 
Analysts said Putin used tensions with the West to rally support and suggested that armed with a strong new mandate, he could push through further punitive measures against dissenters.

Putin&#39;s campaign spokesman Andrei Kondrashov said that turnout, which was above 67 percent, was eight to 10 percentage points higher than expected. He claimed that was &quot;thanks to Britain.&quot;

London this month implicated Putin in the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in England with a Soviet-designed nerve agent.

Most of the voters AFP spoke to said they had backed Putin despite Russia&#39;s problems of poverty and poor healthcare, praising his foreign policies.

Muted Western reactions 
Western leaders were slow to publicly acknowledge Putin&#39;s landslide win.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel &quot;warmly congratulated&quot; Putin while stressing in a message she wrote the need to continue dialogue &quot;to address important bilateral and international challenges and find viable solutions.&quot;

French President Emmanuel Macron wished Vladimir Putin success in &quot;modernising Russia&quot; after his re-election, but urged Moscow to shed light on the &quot;unacceptable&quot; attempted assassination of an ex-spy in Britain.

Macron also expressed concern over the war in Syria, in which Moscow plays a key role as the regime&#39;s closest ally, in a carefully-worded statement that steered clear of congratulating Putin directly.

Citing a report by independent observers, Britain&#39;s Foreign Office on Tuesday noted &quot;restrictions on fundamental freedoms... resulted in a lack of genuine competition in the election&quot;.

And 24 hours after the election, there has been no public comment from US President Donald Trump.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo called Putin to congratulate him on his victory as did Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has just gained a path to indefinite rule.

Grim mood 
Among liberal Russians the mood was grim.&nbsp;

&quot;Have you been thinking about emigrating for a long time? This really is the ideal moment,&quot; remarked Stanislav Kucher, a journalist for Kommersant FM radio.&nbsp;

Putin polled well ahead of his nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party candidate, who described the elections as &quot;dishonest&quot;.

With 99.84 percent of ballots counted, Grudinin had secured 11.8 percent.

Ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky took 5.66 percent, former reality TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak was on 1.67 percent, while veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky received just over one percent of the vote.

International leaders were slow to congratulate the Russian president after a Sunday election that saw him take almost 77 percent of the vote, as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud

Vladimir Putin on Monday said he would address disputes with the West after an election that saw him return to the Kremlin with a record vote share, as Moscow faces increasing isolation. International leaders were slow to congratulate the Russian president after a Sunday election that saw him take almost 77 percent of the vote, as monitors reported ballot stuffing and other alleged cases of fraud. The poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain along with fresh sanctions from Washington over allegations of meddling in the US 2016 election have isolated Moscow to an extent not seen since the Cold War. The president, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades, on Monday denied he was driving a new arms race with Washington after he unveiled a range of "invincible" nuclear weapons this month. "From our side, we will do all we can so that the disputes with our (international) partners be resolved by political and diplomatic means," he said during a meeting with the seven other candidates he resoundingly defeated on Sunday. "It goes without saying that not everything depends on us -- as with love, both sides have to be involved, otherwise there can be no love at all," he said. Putin said he would focus on "increasing the well-being of the residents of this country" through investments in healthcare, education and infrastructure during his next term. - Carrot and stick - With Putin's most vocal opponent Alexei Navalny barred from running for legal reasons, the outcome of the weekend election was never in doubt, and most of the suspense lay in how many people would turn out to vote. The Kremlin pushed for high participation to give greater legitimacy to a fourth term for Putin, who is already Russia's longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin. But Navalny called on supporters to boycott the vote and sent out more than 30,000 monitors to voting stations. Navalny's movement and the non-governmental election monitor Golos reported ballot stuffing, repeat voting and Putin supporters being bussed into polling stations en masse. Fewer irregularities were reported than in previous years, however. An OSCE observer mission said that although the election was marred by a lack of "genuine competition", it was generally well conducted. Authorities used both the carrot and the stick to boost engagement in the polls. Selfie competitions, giveaways, food festivals and children's entertainers were laid on at polling stations to entice voters. But employees at state and private companies, as well as students, said they had come under other pressure to vote. 'Modernising Russia' Analysts said Putin used tensions with the West to rally support and suggested that armed with a strong new mandate, he could push through further punitive measures against dissenters. Putin's campaign spokesman Andrei Kondrashov said that turnout, which was above 67 percent, was eight to 10 percentage points higher than expected. He claimed that was "thanks to Britain." London this month implicated Putin in the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in England with a Soviet-designed nerve agent. Most of the voters AFP spoke to said they had backed Putin despite Russia's problems of poverty and poor healthcare, praising his foreign policies. Muted Western reactions Western leaders were slow to publicly acknowledge Putin's landslide win. German Chancellor Angela Merkel "warmly congratulated" Putin while stressing in a message she wrote the need to continue dialogue "to address important bilateral and international challenges and find viable solutions." French President Emmanuel Macron wished Vladimir Putin success in "modernising Russia" after his re-election, but urged Moscow to shed light on the "unacceptable" attempted assassination of an ex-spy in Britain. Macron also expressed concern over the war in Syria, in which Moscow plays a key role as the regime's closest ally, in a carefully-worded statement that steered clear of congratulating Putin directly. Citing a report by independent observers, Britain's Foreign Office on Tuesday noted "restrictions on fundamental freedoms... resulted in a lack of genuine competition in the election". And 24 hours after the election, there has been no public comment from US President Donald Trump. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo called Putin to congratulate him on his victory as did Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has just gained a path to indefinite rule. Grim mood Among liberal Russians the mood was grim. "Have you been thinking about emigrating for a long time? This really is the ideal moment," remarked Stanislav Kucher, a journalist for Kommersant FM radio. Putin polled well ahead of his nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party candidate, who described the elections as "dishonest". With 99.84 percent of ballots counted, Grudinin had secured 11.8 percent. Ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky took 5.66 percent, former reality TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak was on 1.67 percent, while veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky received just over one percent of the vote.

Putin says will engage with West after record vote win

A KGB officer turned world leader, Vladimir Putin <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">stamped his total authority on Russia</a>, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow`s lost might abroad while building a strongman image through macho stunts.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/vladimir-putin-a-brief-profile-of-the-russian-president-728" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin: A brief profile of the Russian president</a>

Putin, 65, who extended his long rule to 2024 in Russia`s presidential election on Sunday, has reimposed the Kremlin`s grip on society since taking power 18 years ago after a lawless but relatively free decade following the demise of the USSR.

On the international stage, he dealt with three US presidents, thrusting Moscow into a new rivalry with the West by snatching Crimea from Ukraine and launching a pivotal intervention in Syria.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">10 key dates in Vladimir Putin&#39;s political journey</a>

Named the world`s most powerful person by Forbes for the past four years running, the judo black belt carefully nurtured his image as a powerful leader with photo opportunities showing him riding topless on horseback in the Siberian wilderness and darting an endangered tiger.

Supporters laud him as a saviour who restored pride and traditional values to a humiliated nation.

To foes, however, Putin has dragged his homeland further from democracy, presided over a seizure of the state by a new elite of former secret police cronies and stoked nationalism in a bid to restore Moscow`s lost empire.

Putin was born into a working-class family in Leningrad -- now Saint Petersburg -- on October 7, 1952, and cut his teeth in the city`s rough-and-tumble neighbourhoods.

&quot;The Leningrad streets taught me one thing: if a fight is unavoidable, you have to hit first,&quot; Putin said in 2015.

He fulfilled a childhood dream by joining the KGB intelligence service, getting posted in 1985-1990 to Dresden in what was then East Germany when Soviet power was crumbling.

His political rise began after he returned to work at Saint Petersburg city hall under his mentor, liberal mayor Anatoly Sobchak.&nbsp;

Two decades later, Sobchak`s daughter Ksenia is challenging Putin in the election -- a move that has divided Russia`s already deeply split liberal opposition.

By 1996, he was called to Moscow to work in the Kremlin under Russia`s first democratically elected president Boris Yeltsin, who in 1998 made little-known Putin head of the KGB`s successor, the FSB.

Battling health and drinking problems, frail Yeltsin in August 1999 named Putin prime minister and his popularity shot up as he oversaw the launch of a second war to crush rebels in the Chechnya region.&nbsp;

When Yeltsin sensationally resigned on New Year`s Eve 1999, Putin suddenly took over as president of the biggest country on Earth.

Buoyed by an influx of petrodollars that saw living standards soar, the Kremlin under Putin forged its own &quot;sovereign democracy&quot; in which the trappings of pluralism -- such as political opposition and civil society -- were subverted.

He has guarded his private life jealously and once famously told journalists to keep their &quot;snotty noses&quot; out of his business.&nbsp;

After three decades of marriage, he divorced his wife Lyudmila in 2013 but rumours of new romance -- including with a former Olympic gymnast -- have not been confirmed.

In line with the constitution, when Putin ended his second term in 2008, he handed power to protege Dmitry Medvedev and moved to become prime minister -- but few doubted who was really in charge.&nbsp;

In 2012, he returned as president in the face of huge street protests.

While the demonstrations petered out after a police crackdown, the spectre of unrest spurred tough new measures to eradicate dissent.Putin, who once decried the collapse of the USSR as the &quot;greatest geopolitical catastrophe&quot; of the 20th century, has ferociously defended Moscow`s sphere of influence and also challenged perceived US hegemony.

When crowds in Ukraine ousted Russia-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014, the Kremlin faced losing its dominance over a key neighbour.

Within days, Putin ordered special forces to seize the strategic Crimea peninsula and -- after a hasty referendum rejected internationally -- in March 2014 signed off on the region`s annexation.&nbsp;

The redrawing of Russia`s border sparked the worst standoff with the West since the Cold War and unleashed a wave of nationalism at home that saw Putin`s popularity soar.&nbsp;

Soon the Kremlin was accused of masterminding a rebellion in east Ukraine that turned into a festering conflict that has cost more than 10,000 lives.

Despite sanctions pushing his economy into recession, Putin also launched a bombing campaign in Syria to support leader Bashar al-Assad in 2015. It is widely seen as the key factor that tipped the war in Assad`s favour.

Putin was then accused of spreading his tentacles much further and Moscow`s old foe -- the United States -- found itself in the crosshairs.&nbsp;

After Donald Trump`s shock election win, US intelligence accused Putin of ordering a hacking and influence campaign to get Trump to the White House.

&quot;Those that lose always look to blame someone else,&quot; Putin retorted.&nbsp;

Putin, 65, who extended his long rule to 2024 in Russia`s presidential election on Sunday, has reimposed the Kremlin`s grip on society since taking power 18 years ago after a lawless but relatively free decade following the demise of the USSR

A KGB officer turned world leader, Vladimir Putin stamped his total authority on Russia, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow`s lost might abroad while building a strongman image through macho stunts. Also read: Vladimir Putin: A brief profile of the Russian president Putin, 65, who extended his long rule to 2024 in Russia`s presidential election on Sunday, has reimposed the Kremlin`s grip on society since taking power 18 years ago after a lawless but relatively free decade following the demise of the USSR. On the international stage, he dealt with three US presidents, thrusting Moscow into a new rivalry with the West by snatching Crimea from Ukraine and launching a pivotal intervention in Syria. Also read: 10 key dates in Vladimir Putin's political journey Named the world`s most powerful person by Forbes for the past four years running, the judo black belt carefully nurtured his image as a powerful leader with photo opportunities showing him riding topless on horseback in the Siberian wilderness and darting an endangered tiger. Supporters laud him as a saviour who restored pride and traditional values to a humiliated nation. To foes, however, Putin has dragged his homeland further from democracy, presided over a seizure of the state by a new elite of former secret police cronies and stoked nationalism in a bid to restore Moscow`s lost empire. Putin was born into a working-class family in Leningrad -- now Saint Petersburg -- on October 7, 1952, and cut his teeth in the city`s rough-and-tumble neighbourhoods. "The Leningrad streets taught me one thing: if a fight is unavoidable, you have to hit first," Putin said in 2015. He fulfilled a childhood dream by joining the KGB intelligence service, getting posted in 1985-1990 to Dresden in what was then East Germany when Soviet power was crumbling. His political rise began after he returned to work at Saint Petersburg city hall under his mentor, liberal mayor Anatoly Sobchak. Two decades later, Sobchak`s daughter Ksenia is challenging Putin in the election -- a move that has divided Russia`s already deeply split liberal opposition. By 1996, he was called to Moscow to work in the Kremlin under Russia`s first democratically elected president Boris Yeltsin, who in 1998 made little-known Putin head of the KGB`s successor, the FSB. Battling health and drinking problems, frail Yeltsin in August 1999 named Putin prime minister and his popularity shot up as he oversaw the launch of a second war to crush rebels in the Chechnya region. When Yeltsin sensationally resigned on New Year`s Eve 1999, Putin suddenly took over as president of the biggest country on Earth. Buoyed by an influx of petrodollars that saw living standards soar, the Kremlin under Putin forged its own "sovereign democracy" in which the trappings of pluralism -- such as political opposition and civil society -- were subverted. He has guarded his private life jealously and once famously told journalists to keep their "snotty noses" out of his business. After three decades of marriage, he divorced his wife Lyudmila in 2013 but rumours of new romance -- including with a former Olympic gymnast -- have not been confirmed. In line with the constitution, when Putin ended his second term in 2008, he handed power to protege Dmitry Medvedev and moved to become prime minister -- but few doubted who was really in charge. In 2012, he returned as president in the face of huge street protests. While the demonstrations petered out after a police crackdown, the spectre of unrest spurred tough new measures to eradicate dissent.Putin, who once decried the collapse of the USSR as the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe" of the 20th century, has ferociously defended Moscow`s sphere of influence and also challenged perceived US hegemony. When crowds in Ukraine ousted Russia-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014, the Kremlin faced losing its dominance over a key neighbour. Within days, Putin ordered special forces to seize the strategic Crimea peninsula and -- after a hasty referendum rejected internationally -- in March 2014 signed off on the region`s annexation. The redrawing of Russia`s border sparked the worst standoff with the West since the Cold War and unleashed a wave of nationalism at home that saw Putin`s popularity soar. Soon the Kremlin was accused of masterminding a rebellion in east Ukraine that turned into a festering conflict that has cost more than 10,000 lives. Despite sanctions pushing his economy into recession, Putin also launched a bombing campaign in Syria to support leader Bashar al-Assad in 2015. It is widely seen as the key factor that tipped the war in Assad`s favour. Putin was then accused of spreading his tentacles much further and Moscow`s old foe -- the United States -- found itself in the crosshairs. After Donald Trump`s shock election win, US intelligence accused Putin of ordering a hacking and influence campaign to get Trump to the White House. "Those that lose always look to blame someone else," Putin retorted.

Vladimir Putin: Russia's post-Soviet tsar

In power for almost two decades, Vladimir Putin predictably won a fourth Kremlin term in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">Russia&#39;s presidential election</a> on Sunday, extending his long rule for another six years.

With no successor and no political competition, what are the possible scenarios when his term ends in 2024?

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-russias-post-soviet-tsar-36287" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin &mdash; Russia&#39;s post-Soviet tsar</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">Putin wins&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">fourth</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">&nbsp;term with 76.67% of&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">vote</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/vladimir-putin-a-brief-profile-of-the-russian-president-728" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin: A brief profile of the Russian president</a>

Leaving power&nbsp;

Without constitutional reform, Putin will not be able to run for the fifth time -- Russian law forbids serving more than two consecutive terms.

Putin, who will turn 72 in 2024, could decide to leave the Kremlin after 24 years in power, making way for a successor.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">10 key dates in Vladimir Putin&#39;s political journey</a>

Russian politics is currently dominated by infighting between rival clans of technocrats and the &quot;siloviki&quot; -- representatives of the security services and the army.&nbsp;

&quot;There is already a fight for influence,&quot; said independent analyst Nikolai Petrov. &quot;Nobody will wait passively, each group will try to promote its interests,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

In a recent interview with American TV channel NBC, Putin said he has been thinking of a potential successor since 2000.

&quot;There is no harm in thinking about it but at the end of the day it will be the Russian people who decide.&quot;&nbsp;

But in making sure no one can compete with him, no political personality is currently popular enough to succeed Putin. Many analysts say Putin leaving power in six years is unlikely.&nbsp;

Switching roles&nbsp;

One way Putin could continue ruling Russia after 2024 is to stay in power in a different role.&nbsp;

The Russian strongman could revisit his move from 2008, which saw him put forward Dmitry Medvedev as president while he himself became prime minister before returning to the Kremlin in 2012.&nbsp;

&quot;Putin may prepare the regime for a transfer of power. But not from Putin to another president but from Putin to Putin in some other role,&quot; said Petrov.&nbsp;

But memories of mass protests in Moscow when Putin switched back with Medvedev and returned to the Kremlin may put the Russian leader off this option.&nbsp;

Putin&#39;s age also makes this scenario problematic. In 2030, the next time Putin is constitutionally allowed to run for another term, he will be 78.&nbsp;

President for life&nbsp;

Putin could choose to follow China&#39;s Xi Jinping in abolishing presidential term limits, thus allowing him to remain president for life.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think he will refuse power in 2024 even if he has had enough, he is (already) visibly tired,&quot; said political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin.&nbsp;

&quot;He can&#39;t leave because he does not believe that anyone will protect him,&quot; he added, saying that Putin has built a system in which everything depends on who is at the top.&nbsp;

So far, Putin has ruled out ruling Russia for life.&nbsp;

&quot;I never changed the constitution, especially for it to benefit me and I do not have this kind of intention today,&quot; he told NBC in March.&nbsp;

Oreshkin said Putin does not want to be remembered for changing the constitution and that if he were to remain president for life, it would be done &quot;more elegantly&quot; than in China.

Vladimir Putin, who will turn 72 in 2024, could decide to leave the Kremlin after 24 years in power, making way for a successor

In power for almost two decades, Vladimir Putin predictably won a fourth Kremlin term in Russia's presidential election on Sunday, extending his long rule for another six years. With no successor and no political competition, what are the possible scenarios when his term ends in 2024? Also read: Vladimir Putin — Russia's post-Soviet tsar Also read: Putin wins fourth term with 76.67% of vote Also read: Vladimir Putin: A brief profile of the Russian president Leaving power Without constitutional reform, Putin will not be able to run for the fifth time -- Russian law forbids serving more than two consecutive terms. Putin, who will turn 72 in 2024, could decide to leave the Kremlin after 24 years in power, making way for a successor. Also read: 10 key dates in Vladimir Putin's political journey Russian politics is currently dominated by infighting between rival clans of technocrats and the "siloviki" -- representatives of the security services and the army. "There is already a fight for influence," said independent analyst Nikolai Petrov. "Nobody will wait passively, each group will try to promote its interests," he added. In a recent interview with American TV channel NBC, Putin said he has been thinking of a potential successor since 2000. "There is no harm in thinking about it but at the end of the day it will be the Russian people who decide." But in making sure no one can compete with him, no political personality is currently popular enough to succeed Putin. Many analysts say Putin leaving power in six years is unlikely. Switching roles One way Putin could continue ruling Russia after 2024 is to stay in power in a different role. The Russian strongman could revisit his move from 2008, which saw him put forward Dmitry Medvedev as president while he himself became prime minister before returning to the Kremlin in 2012. "Putin may prepare the regime for a transfer of power. But not from Putin to another president but from Putin to Putin in some other role," said Petrov. But memories of mass protests in Moscow when Putin switched back with Medvedev and returned to the Kremlin may put the Russian leader off this option. Putin's age also makes this scenario problematic. In 2030, the next time Putin is constitutionally allowed to run for another term, he will be 78. President for life Putin could choose to follow China's Xi Jinping in abolishing presidential term limits, thus allowing him to remain president for life. "I don't think he will refuse power in 2024 even if he has had enough, he is (already) visibly tired," said political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin. "He can't leave because he does not believe that anyone will protect him," he added, saying that Putin has built a system in which everything depends on who is at the top. So far, Putin has ruled out ruling Russia for life. "I never changed the constitution, especially for it to benefit me and I do not have this kind of intention today," he told NBC in March. Oreshkin said Putin does not want to be remembered for changing the constitution and that if he were to remain president for life, it would be done "more elegantly" than in China.

Russia's Putin wins yet another term but what happens in 2024?

Vladimir Putin has been declared the victor in the presidential election and is set for another six years in the Kremlin till 2024.&nbsp;

President Putin said on Monday he aims to focus his new term on &quot;domestic policy issues&quot;&nbsp;and strengthening the country&#39;s &quot;defence capabilities&quot;.

Putin made the comments while meeting the co-chairs of his election campaign headquarters in Moscow.

&quot;The main thing that we are going to do is of course, first of all the internal agenda, it is first of all ensuring the growth of the Russian Federation economy, and making it innovative, this is development in the sphere of healthcare, education, industrial output and as I&#39;ve said before of infrastructure and other areas crucial for moving the country forward and lifting the standard of living for our citizens. This is what we will pay attention to first and foremost to,&quot; Putin said during the meeting.&nbsp;

&quot;There are issues related to ensuring the defence and security capabilities of the country, we cannot do without it but nevertheless the most important thing for us is the internal agenda and I repeat again, I really count on your support and that of our extended team and large team when it comes to addressing the issues the country is facing and which we must solve and which we will surely solve together,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin added&nbsp;that Russia would cut its military spending, a day after he won a presidential election with a landslide.&nbsp;

&quot;We have plans to decrease our defence spending both this year and next. But this will not lead to any decline in the country&#39;s defence capacity,&quot; he said during a meeting with other candidates.

&quot;We will not allow for any sort of arms race,&quot; he said. Putin appeared to set the course for exactly that when he unveiled a new generation of &quot;invincible&quot; nuclear weapons during a state of the nation address earlier this month.

He presented Russia&#39;s military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons.

The announcement came as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016.

Putin said that Russia wanted constructive dialogue with its international partners, though he said they would need to reciprocate, and respect Russia.

On Sunday, he declared victory in front of thousands of people gathered in below-freezing temperatures at Moscow&#39;s Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin, where he called for unity in the country.

&quot;We are a single team, I am a member of this team, and all those who cast their ballots today are members of our large national team,&quot; he said, after a colorful show of high-energy musical performances.

&quot;I see this as a sign of trust and hope, the hope of our people that we will work as hard, with the same responsibility and effectiveness as before. Thank you for being such a powerful, millions-strong team. We will definitely succeed.&quot;

Under current Russian law, Putin cannot stand for re-election. But he has not groomed a successor, prompting speculation he may try to find ways to extend his power beyond this term.

Meanwhile, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that China-Russia ties will see &quot;new fruits&quot;&nbsp;and opportunities.

&quot;It is a critical time for both&nbsp;China&nbsp;and Russian for development and rejuvenation,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

Hua said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Putin, adding that the&nbsp;China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at the best historical phase.

In his next six years, Putin is likely to assert Russia&#39;s power overseas with full force, reports said.

Just weeks ago, he announced that Russia has developed advanced nuclear weapons capable of evading missile defenses. The Russian military campaign that bolsters the Syrian government is clearly aimed at strengthening Moscow&#39;s foothold in the Middle East, and Russia eagerly eyes any reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula as an economic opportunity.

Putin must now decide on how to groom a successor or devise a strategy to circumvent term limits, how to expand and grow the economy which&nbsp;still dependent on oil and gas, and how to improve medical care and social services in regions far removed from the urban areas of Moscow. 
&nbsp;

Vladimir Putin has been declared the victor in the presidential election and is set for another six years in the Kremlin till 2024. President Putin said on Monday he aims to focus his new term on "domestic policy issues" and strengthening the country's "defence capabilities". Putin made the comments while meeting the co-chairs of his election campaign headquarters in Moscow. "The main thing that we are going to do is of course, first of all the internal agenda, it is first of all ensuring the growth of the Russian Federation economy, and making it innovative, this is development in the sphere of healthcare, education, industrial output and as I've said before of infrastructure and other areas crucial for moving the country forward and lifting the standard of living for our citizens. This is what we will pay attention to first and foremost to," Putin said during the meeting. "There are issues related to ensuring the defence and security capabilities of the country, we cannot do without it but nevertheless the most important thing for us is the internal agenda and I repeat again, I really count on your support and that of our extended team and large team when it comes to addressing the issues the country is facing and which we must solve and which we will surely solve together," he said. President Vladimir Putin added that Russia would cut its military spending, a day after he won a presidential election with a landslide. "We have plans to decrease our defence spending both this year and next. But this will not lead to any decline in the country's defence capacity," he said during a meeting with other candidates. "We will not allow for any sort of arms race," he said. Putin appeared to set the course for exactly that when he unveiled a new generation of "invincible" nuclear weapons during a state of the nation address earlier this month. He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons. The announcement came as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016. Putin said that Russia wanted constructive dialogue with its international partners, though he said they would need to reciprocate, and respect Russia. On Sunday, he declared victory in front of thousands of people gathered in below-freezing temperatures at Moscow's Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin, where he called for unity in the country. "We are a single team, I am a member of this team, and all those who cast their ballots today are members of our large national team," he said, after a colorful show of high-energy musical performances. "I see this as a sign of trust and hope, the hope of our people that we will work as hard, with the same responsibility and effectiveness as before. Thank you for being such a powerful, millions-strong team. We will definitely succeed." Under current Russian law, Putin cannot stand for re-election. But he has not groomed a successor, prompting speculation he may try to find ways to extend his power beyond this term. Meanwhile, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that China-Russia ties will see "new fruits" and opportunities. "It is a critical time for both China and Russian for development and rejuvenation," she said. Hua said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Putin, adding that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at the best historical phase. In his next six years, Putin is likely to assert Russia's power overseas with full force, reports said. Just weeks ago, he announced that Russia has developed advanced nuclear weapons capable of evading missile defenses. The Russian military campaign that bolsters the Syrian government is clearly aimed at strengthening Moscow's foothold in the Middle East, and Russia eagerly eyes any reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula as an economic opportunity. Putin must now decide on how to groom a successor or devise a strategy to circumvent term limits, how to expand and grow the economy which still dependent on oil and gas, and how to improve medical care and social services in regions far removed from the urban areas of Moscow.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-wins-another-term-but-what-happens-in-2024-36289" target="_blank">Russia&#39;s Putin wins yet another term but what happens in 2024?</a>

In power for almost two decades, Vladimir Putin predictably won a fourth Kremlin term in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wins-fourth-term-with-739-of-vote-36284" target="_blank">Russia&#39;s presidential election</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, extending his long rule for another six years.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ysr-congress-tdp-to-pitch-for-no-trust-vote-against-government-today-36300" target="_blank">YSR Congress, TDP to pitch for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ysr-congress-tdp-to-pitch-for-no-trust-vote-against-government-today-36300" target="_blank">no-trust</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ysr-congress-tdp-to-pitch-for-no-trust-vote-against-government-today-36300" target="_blank"> vote against </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ysr-congress-tdp-to-pitch-for-no-trust-vote-against-government-today-36300" target="_blank">government</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ysr-congress-tdp-to-pitch-for-no-trust-vote-against-government-today-36300" target="_blank"> today</a>

The YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam Party will pitch for taking up their notices of no-confidence motion against the Modi government when the Lok Sabha meets today amid no signs of a let-up in the deadlock in its proceedings.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kim-jong-un-has-given-his-word-on-denuclearisation-south-korea-36295" target="_blank">Kim Jong-un &#39;has given his word&#39; on denuclearisation: South Korea</a>

North Korea&#39;s Kim Jong-un has &quot;given his word&quot; that he is committed to denuclearisation, South Korea&#39;s foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha was quoted as saying on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ola-uber-on-strike-today-demand-better-earnings-36298" target="_blank">Ola, Uber on strike today, demand better earnings</a>

App-based&nbsp;cabs Ola and Uber will begin with a strike&nbsp;in Mumbai on Monday for an indefinite period. The strike has been called by Maharashtra Navnirman Vahtuk Sena, the&nbsp;transport wing of Raj Thackeray led MNS.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/president-donald-trump-sharpens-attacks-on-russia-probe-36285" target="_blank">US President Donald Trump sharpens attacks on Russia probe</a>

President Donald Trump Sunday intensified his attacks on Robert Mueller&#39;s Russia investigation as biased against him, but stopped just short of targeting the special counsel &mdash; whose ouster lawmakers warned would cross a &quot;massive red line.&quot;

&nbsp;

Russia's Putin wins yet another term but what happens in 2024? In power for almost two decades, Vladimir Putin predictably won a fourth Kremlin term in Russia's presidential election on Sunday, extending his long rule for another six years. YSR Congress, TDP to pitch for no-trust vote against government today The YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam Party will pitch for taking up their notices of no-confidence motion against the Modi government when the Lok Sabha meets today amid no signs of a let-up in the deadlock in its proceedings. Kim Jong-un 'has given his word' on denuclearisation: South Korea North Korea's Kim Jong-un has "given his word" that he is committed to denuclearisation, South Korea's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha was quoted as saying on Sunday. Ola, Uber on strike today, demand better earnings App-based cabs Ola and Uber will begin with a strike in Mumbai on Monday for an indefinite period. The strike has been called by Maharashtra Navnirman Vahtuk Sena, the transport wing of Raj Thackeray led MNS. US President Donald Trump sharpens attacks on Russia probe President Donald Trump Sunday intensified his attacks on Robert Mueller's Russia investigation as biased against him, but stopped just short of targeting the special counsel — whose ouster lawmakers warned would cross a "massive red line."

WION Morning News Brief, March 19, 2018

From frustration with corruption and poverty to Moscow&#39;s showdown with the West, Russians shared their concerns as they voted in Sunday`s presidential election that is set to extend President Vladimir Putin`s Kremlin term to 2024.

&quot;I am for Putin. There is no alternative to him,&quot; said Valentina Popova, a 77-year-old Moscow retiree.

&quot;I respect him for his foreign policies, otherwise Russia would perish. There`s a lot that needs to be done inside the country.&quot;

Natalya Kononova, 41, senior cashier, 41, Moscow: &quot;I am for Putin. We trust him. And voting is my civic duty.&quot;

Iraida Korablina, 67, Moscow: &quot;I am for Putin. The foreign policies are correct although inside the country a camarilla is calling the shots.&quot;

Sergei Inshakov, 37, part-time taxi driver and former professional handball player from Moscow: &quot;We don`t need changes now. Putin needs to finish what he started.&quot;

Sergei Yakovlev, 47, Saint Petersburg: &quot;I am not expecting anything good. I voted for Grudinin, but it`s clear that it`ll be Putin. He has no programme of action, things keep getting worse. He will keep sitting on oil reserves without changing anything until everything ultimately disintegrates in every area.&quot;

Antonina Kurchatova, 40, Saint Petersburg: &quot;I voted Putin. But with a different feeling unlike before. Right now I hoping that things just don`t get worse. I very much like his foreign policies, he`s doing everything right, but as far as the economy is concerned, everything is terrible. I am eagerly awaiting constructive economic measures and a change of government.&quot;

Lilia Kartashova, 70, Saint Petersburg: &quot;Only Putin. I am expecting only good things. Remember what kind of country he took over from Eltsin - ruin, no one respected us and now? He is doing everything right. Only the government needs to be kicked out - especially Medvedev. What kind of prime minister is he? He is a laughingstock.&quot;

Since taking power 18 years ago, Putin has stamped his total authority on the country, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow's lost might abroad

From frustration with corruption and poverty to Moscow's showdown with the West, Russians shared their concerns as they voted in Sunday`s presidential election that is set to extend President Vladimir Putin`s Kremlin term to 2024. "I am for Putin. There is no alternative to him," said Valentina Popova, a 77-year-old Moscow retiree. "I respect him for his foreign policies, otherwise Russia would perish. There`s a lot that needs to be done inside the country." Natalya Kononova, 41, senior cashier, 41, Moscow: "I am for Putin. We trust him. And voting is my civic duty." Iraida Korablina, 67, Moscow: "I am for Putin. The foreign policies are correct although inside the country a camarilla is calling the shots." Sergei Inshakov, 37, part-time taxi driver and former professional handball player from Moscow: "We don`t need changes now. Putin needs to finish what he started." Sergei Yakovlev, 47, Saint Petersburg: "I am not expecting anything good. I voted for Grudinin, but it`s clear that it`ll be Putin. He has no programme of action, things keep getting worse. He will keep sitting on oil reserves without changing anything until everything ultimately disintegrates in every area." Antonina Kurchatova, 40, Saint Petersburg: "I voted Putin. But with a different feeling unlike before. Right now I hoping that things just don`t get worse. I very much like his foreign policies, he`s doing everything right, but as far as the economy is concerned, everything is terrible. I am eagerly awaiting constructive economic measures and a change of government." Lilia Kartashova, 70, Saint Petersburg: "Only Putin. I am expecting only good things. Remember what kind of country he took over from Eltsin - ruin, no one respected us and now? He is doing everything right. Only the government needs to be kicked out - especially Medvedev. What kind of prime minister is he? He is a laughingstock."

Russian voters share concerns in predictable Russian poll

Russians voted in a presidential election on Sunday set to give <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">Vladimir Putin a runaway victory</a>, the only possible blemish for the Kremlin being if large numbers of voters do not bother taking part because the result is so predictable.

Opinion polls give Putin, the incumbent, support of around 70 per cent, or nearly 10 times the backing of his nearest challenger. Another term will take him to nearly a quarter century in power &mdash; a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/vladimir-putin-a-brief-profile-of-the-russian-president-728" target="_blank">In Pics: Vladimir Putin &mdash; A brief profile of the Russian president</a>

Putin`s opponents alleged officials were trying to inflate the turnout.

Many voters credit Putin, a 65-year-old former KGB spy, with standing up for Russia`s interests in a hostile outside world, even though the cost is a confrontation with the West.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;10 key dates in Vladimir Putin&#39;s political journey</a>

A row with Britain over allegations the Kremlin used a nerve toxin to poison a Russian double agent in a sleepy English town &mdash; denied by Moscow &mdash; has not dented his standing.

The majority of voters see no viable alternative to Putin: he has total dominance of the political scene and the state-run television, where most people get their news, gives lavish coverage of Putin and little airtime to his rivals.

Galina Zhukova, a pensioner, came to polling station number 1512 in Zelenodolsk, about 800 km (500 miles) east of Moscow, with her husband, Alexei. They arrived soon after the doors opened.

&quot;We voted for Putin. Things are all right for us,&quot; said Alexei. &quot;And there`s no one else to vote for,&quot; said Galina.

A day of voting across Russia`s 11 time zones began at 2000 GMT on Saturday on Russia`s eastern edge, in the Pacific coast city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

There, voters were handed small plastic flags with the slogan: &quot;I love Kamchatka. We are the first.&quot;

Voting will run until polls close at the westernmost point of Russia, the Kaliningrad region on the Baltic Sea, at 1800 GMT on Sunday.

SHOO-IN CONTEST

A March 9 survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM gave Putin, who was first elected president in 2000, support of 69 per cent. His nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party`s candidate, is on just 7 per cent.

The first politician in years to challenge the Kremlin`s grip on power, Alexei Navalny, is barred from the race because of a corruption conviction he says was fabricated by the Kremlin.

He is calling for a boycott of the election, saying it is an undemocratic farce, and deploying supporters to collect evidence of anyone rigging the ballot to inflate turnout and support for Putin. The Kremlin and election officials say any fraud will be stamped out.

In an address to the nation broadcast on national television on Friday, Putin said voters held the fate of the country in their hands and urged them to vote.

A low turnout would diminish Putin`s authority in his next term, which, under the constitution, has to be his last.

&quot;There is no intrigue. I do not see any point for me in going to the election,&quot; said Alexei Khvorostov, a resident of Krasnodar, in southern Russia.

Yevgeny Roizman, a Kremlin opponent who is mayor of the industrial city of Yekaterinburg, said officials were using bribes and inducements to persuade people to vote.

&quot;They`re herding the whole country to the polling stations,&quot; Roizman, a rare example of an elected official opposed to the Kremlin, said in a video blog. &quot;It`s degrading... We`re not sheep.&quot;

In the Khabarovsk region, on Russia`s Pacific coast, officials delivered supplies of eggs, tinned peas and frozen pike to polling stations. It will be sold to voters at a discount of between 10 and 30 per cent compared to prices in local shops.

&quot;By doing this we hope to attract voters to the polling stations and we think we can increase turnout,&quot; said Nikolai Kretsu, chairman of the consumer market committee in the regional administration.

&quot;The second objective is to strengthen allegiance towards the authorities.&quot;

Opinion polls give Putin, the incumbent, support of around 70 percent, or nearly 10 times the backing of his nearest challenger.

Russians voted in a presidential election on Sunday set to give Vladimir Putin a runaway victory, the only possible blemish for the Kremlin being if large numbers of voters do not bother taking part because the result is so predictable. Opinion polls give Putin, the incumbent, support of around 70 per cent, or nearly 10 times the backing of his nearest challenger. Another term will take him to nearly a quarter century in power — a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. In Pics: Vladimir Putin — A brief profile of the Russian president Putin`s opponents alleged officials were trying to inflate the turnout. Many voters credit Putin, a 65-year-old former KGB spy, with standing up for Russia`s interests in a hostile outside world, even though the cost is a confrontation with the West. Also read: 10 key dates in Vladimir Putin's political journey A row with Britain over allegations the Kremlin used a nerve toxin to poison a Russian double agent in a sleepy English town — denied by Moscow — has not dented his standing. The majority of voters see no viable alternative to Putin: he has total dominance of the political scene and the state-run television, where most people get their news, gives lavish coverage of Putin and little airtime to his rivals. Galina Zhukova, a pensioner, came to polling station number 1512 in Zelenodolsk, about 800 km (500 miles) east of Moscow, with her husband, Alexei. They arrived soon after the doors opened. "We voted for Putin. Things are all right for us," said Alexei. "And there`s no one else to vote for," said Galina. A day of voting across Russia`s 11 time zones began at 2000 GMT on Saturday on Russia`s eastern edge, in the Pacific coast city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. There, voters were handed small plastic flags with the slogan: "I love Kamchatka. We are the first." Voting will run until polls close at the westernmost point of Russia, the Kaliningrad region on the Baltic Sea, at 1800 GMT on Sunday. SHOO-IN CONTEST A March 9 survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM gave Putin, who was first elected president in 2000, support of 69 per cent. His nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party`s candidate, is on just 7 per cent. The first politician in years to challenge the Kremlin`s grip on power, Alexei Navalny, is barred from the race because of a corruption conviction he says was fabricated by the Kremlin. He is calling for a boycott of the election, saying it is an undemocratic farce, and deploying supporters to collect evidence of anyone rigging the ballot to inflate turnout and support for Putin. The Kremlin and election officials say any fraud will be stamped out. In an address to the nation broadcast on national television on Friday, Putin said voters held the fate of the country in their hands and urged them to vote. A low turnout would diminish Putin`s authority in his next term, which, under the constitution, has to be his last. "There is no intrigue. I do not see any point for me in going to the election," said Alexei Khvorostov, a resident of Krasnodar, in southern Russia. Yevgeny Roizman, a Kremlin opponent who is mayor of the industrial city of Yekaterinburg, said officials were using bribes and inducements to persuade people to vote. "They`re herding the whole country to the polling stations," Roizman, a rare example of an elected official opposed to the Kremlin, said in a video blog. "It`s degrading... We`re not sheep." In the Khabarovsk region, on Russia`s Pacific coast, officials delivered supplies of eggs, tinned peas and frozen pike to polling stations. It will be sold to voters at a discount of between 10 and 30 per cent compared to prices in local shops. "By doing this we hope to attract voters to the polling stations and we think we can increase turnout," said Nikolai Kretsu, chairman of the consumer market committee in the regional administration. "The second objective is to strengthen allegiance towards the authorities."

Vladimir Putin on track for commanding win as Russians head to polls

Vladimir Putin, who is expected to win a fourth term as Russian president in polls this month, has reimposed the Kremlin&#39;s grip over society since taking power 18 years ago.

Here are key dates in the life of the 65-year-old former KGB officer:

- October 7, 1952: Putin is born into a poor working-class family in Leningrad, now called Saint Petersburg.

- 1998: He is named the head of the FSB security service, the successor to the KGB, having joined the service in 1975.

- 1999: As Boris Yeltsin&#39;s prime minister, he oversees the launch of a second war to crush rebels in Chechnya. When Yeltsin resigns on New Year&#39;s Eve, Putin takes over as president, being officially elected in March 2000.

- 2004: He is re-elected, president.

- 2008: In line with a constitutional limit, at the end of his second term Putin hands power to his protege Dmitry Medvedev and becomes prime minister.

- 2012: He returns as president, for a term which has been extended from four to six years, amid unprecedented opposition protests.

- 2013: After three decades of marriage, he divorces Lyudmila with whom he has two daughters.

- 2014: He annexes the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, sparking the worst diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

- 2015: Gives military backing to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

- 2017: In December, he announces he will seek a new six-year term as president in March 2018.

Here are key dates in the life of the 65-year-old former KGB officer:

Vladimir Putin, who is expected to win a fourth term as Russian president in polls this month, has reimposed the Kremlin's grip over society since taking power 18 years ago. Here are key dates in the life of the 65-year-old former KGB officer: - October 7, 1952: Putin is born into a poor working-class family in Leningrad, now called Saint Petersburg. - 1998: He is named the head of the FSB security service, the successor to the KGB, having joined the service in 1975. - 1999: As Boris Yeltsin's prime minister, he oversees the launch of a second war to crush rebels in Chechnya. When Yeltsin resigns on New Year's Eve, Putin takes over as president, being officially elected in March 2000. - 2004: He is re-elected, president. - 2008: In line with a constitutional limit, at the end of his second term Putin hands power to his protege Dmitry Medvedev and becomes prime minister. - 2012: He returns as president, for a term which has been extended from four to six years, amid unprecedented opposition protests. - 2013: After three decades of marriage, he divorces Lyudmila with whom he has two daughters. - 2014: He annexes the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, sparking the worst diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. - 2015: Gives military backing to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. - 2017: In December, he announces he will seek a new six-year term as president in March 2018.

10 key dates in Vladimir Putin's political journey

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-presidential-election-2018-voting-underway-as-vladimir-putin-set-to-win-fourth-term-36193" target="_blank">Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-presidential-election-2018-voting-underway-as-vladimir-putin-set-to-win-fourth-term-36193" target="_blank">fourth</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-presidential-election-2018-voting-underway-as-vladimir-putin-set-to-win-fourth-term-36193" target="_blank"> term</a>

Russians began voting Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to cement President Vladimir Putin&#39;s power for another six years.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-vice-president-mike-pence-urges-pakistan-to-do-more-against-taliban-36190" target="_blank">US Vice President Mike Pence urges Pakistan to &#39;do more&#39; against Taliban</a>

US Vice President Mike Pence told Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that his country &quot;must do more&quot; against the Taliban and other militants, the White House said on Saturday.

<a href="http://India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff" target="_blank">India makes written </a><a href="http://India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff" target="_blank">complaint</a><a href="http://India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff" target="_blank"> to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff</a>

Officials of the Indian high commission in Pakistan, who had gone for shopping in Islamabad&#39;s Blue Area, were on Saturday harassed with two persons aggressively following them and hurling abuses.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/drone-strike-kills-6-is-terrorists-in-afghanistan-36200" target="_blank">Drone strike kills 6 IS terrorists in Afghanistan</a>

At least six terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group have been killed in the latest drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mauritius-president-resigns-over-credit-card-scandal-36173" target="_blank">Mauritius president resigns over credit card scandal</a>

Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned on Saturday after being embroiled in a scandal over her use of a credit card to buy luxury personal items, in an abrupt change of heart after vowing she would not stand down.

Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win fourth term Russians began voting Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to cement President Vladimir Putin's power for another six years. US Vice President Mike Pence urges Pakistan to 'do more' against Taliban US Vice President Mike Pence told Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that his country "must do more" against the Taliban and other militants, the White House said on Saturday. India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff Officials of the Indian high commission in Pakistan, who had gone for shopping in Islamabad's Blue Area, were on Saturday harassed with two persons aggressively following them and hurling abuses. Drone strike kills 6 IS terrorists in Afghanistan At least six terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group have been killed in the latest drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. Mauritius president resigns over credit card scandal Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned on Saturday after being embroiled in a scandal over her use of a credit card to buy luxury personal items, in an abrupt change of heart after vowing she would not stand down.

WION Morning News brief, March 18, 2018

Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win fourth term

Russians began voting Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to cement President Vladimir Putin&#39;s power for another six years.

Polls first opened in the Far East, and 109 million voters are eligible to cast ballots across the 11 time zones of the world&#39;s biggest country.

Since taking power 18 years ago, Putin has stamped his total authority on the country, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow&#39;s lost might abroad.

Polling at around 70 per cent, the macho leader is sure to extend his term to 2024 despite a lacklustre campaign ahead of a summer when global attention will be glued to Russia as it hosts the football World Cup.

Putin has sought to use the election run-up to emphasise Russia&#39;s role as a major world power, recently boasting of its &quot;invincible&quot; new weapons and continuing Moscow&#39;s support for the Syrian regime in a bloody civil war.

Rising tensions with the West over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in Britain and new sanctions from Washington over alleged election meddling strengthen the impression of a Russia at loggerheads with the rest of the world.

&quot;In America and Europe, they are trying to make us bend over and kneel, but we&#39;re still standing,&quot; Sergei Babayev, a 55-year-old transport manager, said in central Moscow shortly ahead of the vote.

&quot;They promised us a crisis and we stuck it out. That&#39;s Putin&#39;s main quality -- he is at the core of our state.&quot;

Today also marks exactly four years since Putin signed a treaty declaring Crimea part of Russia following its annexation from Ukraine, an action that led to the war in the east of the former Soviet state.

Putin, who has run under the slogan &quot;a strong president -- a strong Russia&quot;, has declined to take part in televised debates and shot no new material for his own campaign advertisements.

He is standing against seven other candidates, including millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin and former reality TV host Ksenia Sobchak, but none are polling more than eight percent.

One of the more memorable moments from the campaign came during a debate when Sobchak threw a glass of water over the ranting ultra-nationalist candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky, prompting him to call her a &quot;prostitute&quot; and a &quot;mad fool&quot;.

Putin&#39;s most vocal opponent, the anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny, has been barred from standing for legal reasons and has called on followers to boycott an election he says is a sham. 
Authorities, however, are seeking a high turnout to add greater legitimacy to a new term for Putin, who is already Russia&#39;s second-longest serving leader since Joseph Stalin.

&quot;These are not quite the elections we see in Western countries,&quot; Stepan Goncharov of the independent Levada Center pollster said.

&quot;People are put in a situation where they have no-one to choose from,&quot; he said.

&quot;If they want to express their disapproval, then they don&#39;t turn out. They think of it as a vote of confidence (in Putin).&quot;

There has been a particular focus on the youth vote, with prizes offered for the best selfies taken at polling stations and a sexually charged online campaign that brands the election as &quot;for adults only&quot;.

Meanwhile, students in several cities have been warned they may face problems in examinations or even expulsion if they do not turn out to vote, according to liberal newspaper Novaya Gazeta.

Heads of schools and state enterprises have put pressure on their employees to vote, as in previous elections, in some cases telling workers they should bring in a list of names of friends or relatives who were also going to the polls.

Early voting has already taken place in some remote areas, where local election commissions bring ballot boxes by helicopter and snowmobile.

Overall turnout is expected to be between 63 and 67 per cent, according to official pollsters.

The run-up to Russia&#39;s last presidential election in 2012 was marked by protests across the country against Putin&#39;s return as head of state after four years as prime minister.

But those demonstrations were quashed and once he was back in the Kremlin a crackdown followed, with activists arrested, the Pussy Riot rock band jailed and draconian new laws criminalising popular protest passed.

(With inputs from AFP)

Since taking power 18 years ago, Putin has stamped his total authority on the country, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow's lost might abroad.

Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win fourth term Russians began voting Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to cement President Vladimir Putin's power for another six years. Polls first opened in the Far East, and 109 million voters are eligible to cast ballots across the 11 time zones of the world's biggest country. Since taking power 18 years ago, Putin has stamped his total authority on the country, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow's lost might abroad. Polling at around 70 per cent, the macho leader is sure to extend his term to 2024 despite a lacklustre campaign ahead of a summer when global attention will be glued to Russia as it hosts the football World Cup. Putin has sought to use the election run-up to emphasise Russia's role as a major world power, recently boasting of its "invincible" new weapons and continuing Moscow's support for the Syrian regime in a bloody civil war. Rising tensions with the West over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in Britain and new sanctions from Washington over alleged election meddling strengthen the impression of a Russia at loggerheads with the rest of the world. "In America and Europe, they are trying to make us bend over and kneel, but we're still standing," Sergei Babayev, a 55-year-old transport manager, said in central Moscow shortly ahead of the vote. "They promised us a crisis and we stuck it out. That's Putin's main quality -- he is at the core of our state." Today also marks exactly four years since Putin signed a treaty declaring Crimea part of Russia following its annexation from Ukraine, an action that led to the war in the east of the former Soviet state. Putin, who has run under the slogan "a strong president -- a strong Russia", has declined to take part in televised debates and shot no new material for his own campaign advertisements. He is standing against seven other candidates, including millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin and former reality TV host Ksenia Sobchak, but none are polling more than eight percent. One of the more memorable moments from the campaign came during a debate when Sobchak threw a glass of water over the ranting ultra-nationalist candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky, prompting him to call her a "prostitute" and a "mad fool". Putin's most vocal opponent, the anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny, has been barred from standing for legal reasons and has called on followers to boycott an election he says is a sham. Authorities, however, are seeking a high turnout to add greater legitimacy to a new term for Putin, who is already Russia's second-longest serving leader since Joseph Stalin. "These are not quite the elections we see in Western countries," Stepan Goncharov of the independent Levada Center pollster said. "People are put in a situation where they have no-one to choose from," he said. "If they want to express their disapproval, then they don't turn out. They think of it as a vote of confidence (in Putin)." There has been a particular focus on the youth vote, with prizes offered for the best selfies taken at polling stations and a sexually charged online campaign that brands the election as "for adults only". Meanwhile, students in several cities have been warned they may face problems in examinations or even expulsion if they do not turn out to vote, according to liberal newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Heads of schools and state enterprises have put pressure on their employees to vote, as in previous elections, in some cases telling workers they should bring in a list of names of friends or relatives who were also going to the polls. Early voting has already taken place in some remote areas, where local election commissions bring ballot boxes by helicopter and snowmobile. Overall turnout is expected to be between 63 and 67 per cent, according to official pollsters. The run-up to Russia's last presidential election in 2012 was marked by protests across the country against Putin's return as head of state after four years as prime minister. But those demonstrations were quashed and once he was back in the Kremlin a crackdown followed, with activists arrested, the Pussy Riot rock band jailed and draconian new laws criminalising popular protest passed. (With inputs from AFP)

Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win fourth term

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Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win fourth term