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;

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" 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.

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

<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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&nbsp;

Kremlin furious as Britain blames Putin for ex-spy attack Britain provoked Russia's wrath on Friday by directly implicating Vladimir Putin in the poisoning attack on an ex-double agent, with the Kremlin saying the claims were "shocking and unforgivable". Oscars chief being investigated for sexual harassment: Report John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.ntarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists European parliamentarian, experts lambast Pakistan for sheltering terrorists Experts and a Member of European Parliament (MEP) have shown concern over the growing extremism and terrorism in Pakistan, which are hurting not only the country but also the Western nations. Turkish air strike hits hospital in Syria's Afrin: Monitor, medics A Turkish bombing raid struck the main hospital in the Kurdish-controlled Syrian town of Afrin, killing sixteen civilians, a monitor said. Call data records case: Nawazuddin Siddiqui's lawyer arrested The Thane Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police on Friday arrested the lawyer of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rizwan Siddiqui, for allegedly obtaining the call data records of the actor's wife from private detectives.

WION morning news brief, March 17, 2018

Moscow will expel British diplomats in response to London`s move to kick out 23 Russian officials over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

&quot;Of course we will,&quot; Lavrov told journalists when asked whether Moscow will respond in kind to the expulsion of Russian diplomats announced by British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Lavrov was speaking in the Kazakh capital Astana following talks on Syria with the foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey.&nbsp;

The Russian foreign minister on Thursday said Moscow would respond by expelling British diplomats &quot;soon&quot;.

He said his country had no motive to target Skripal, but suggested others could use the poisoning to &quot;complicate&quot; the World Cup.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said Vladimir Putin would ultimately choose the option that &quot;most suits Moscow`s interests&quot;.

In a rare joint statement, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and the US on Thursday condemned the attack on Skripal and his daughter Yulia as an &quot;assault on UK sovereignty&quot;.&nbsp;

The escalating international scandal is unfolding as Skripal and his daughter remain in critical condition after exposure to the Soviet-designed chemical Novichok on March 4 in the English city of Salisbury.

 
&nbsp;

'Of course we will,' Lavrov told journalists when asked whether Moscow will respond in kind to the expulsion of Russian diplomats announced by British Prime Minister Theresa May

Moscow will expel British diplomats in response to London`s move to kick out 23 Russian officials over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday. "Of course we will," Lavrov told journalists when asked whether Moscow will respond in kind to the expulsion of Russian diplomats announced by British Prime Minister Theresa May. Lavrov was speaking in the Kazakh capital Astana following talks on Syria with the foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey. The Russian foreign minister on Thursday said Moscow would respond by expelling British diplomats "soon". He said his country had no motive to target Skripal, but suggested others could use the poisoning to "complicate" the World Cup. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said Vladimir Putin would ultimately choose the option that "most suits Moscow`s interests". In a rare joint statement, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and the US on Thursday condemned the attack on Skripal and his daughter Yulia as an "assault on UK sovereignty". The escalating international scandal is unfolding as Skripal and his daughter remain in critical condition after exposure to the Soviet-designed chemical Novichok on March 4 in the English city of Salisbury.

Russia will 'of course' expel British diplomats: Sergei Lavrov

The United States today accused Russia of disdaining the international order and disrespecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations.

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert&#39;s remarks came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin&#39;s campaigned in Crimea, which the US alleges was annexed by Russia some four years ago.

In his election rally in Crimea, home to about two million people, Putin reportedly said that there was still a lot of work to do and that his government was working on various long-term projects.

&quot;In his campaign rally in Crimea today, President Putin reiterated Russia&#39;s false claims to Ukrainian territory in another open admission that the Russian government disdains the international order and disrespects the territorial integrity of sovereign nations,&quot; Nauert said.

&quot;Four years ago this week, Russia held an illegitimate, fabricated &quot;referendum&quot; in Ukraine in a futile attempt to legitimize its purported annexation of Ukrainian territory,&quot; she alleged.

Nauert alleged that the residents of Crimea were made to vote under duress during 2014&#39;s Crimean status referendum.

Russia claimed Crimea on March 18, 2014.

&quot;Crimean residents were compelled to vote under scrutiny by heavily armed Russian troops.Russia&#39;s claim that Ukrainians made a free choice in that sham &quot;referendum&quot; has always lacked credibility,&quot; Nauert said.

Nauert said Russia has engaged in a campaign of coercion and violence over the past four years, &quot;targeting anyone opposed to its attempted annexation&quot;.

&quot;In light of Putin&#39;s remarks, it is important to call attention to the illegitimacy of the staged &quot;referendum,&quot; but also to the tremendous human costs the Russian government has imposed on the people of Crimea,&quot; Nauert said. 
 
&quot;Russian occupation authorities have subjected Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, pro-Ukrainian activists, civil society members, and independent journalists to politically motivated prosecution and ongoing repression, while methodically suppressing nongovernmental organisations and independent media outlets,&quot; Nauert said.

The State Department spokesperson applauded people who speak out against the situation in Crimea.

&quot;We stand behind those courageous individuals who continue to speak out about these abuses and we call on Russia to cease its attempts to quell fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and religion or belief,&quot; she said.

Nauert said the US will continue its Crimea-related sanctions until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine.

&quot;We reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine&#39;s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Crimea is part of Ukraine,&quot; she said.

The United States today accused Russia of disdaining the international order and disrespecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations

The United States today accused Russia of disdaining the international order and disrespecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert's remarks came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin's campaigned in Crimea, which the US alleges was annexed by Russia some four years ago. In his election rally in Crimea, home to about two million people, Putin reportedly said that there was still a lot of work to do and that his government was working on various long-term projects. "In his campaign rally in Crimea today, President Putin reiterated Russia's false claims to Ukrainian territory in another open admission that the Russian government disdains the international order and disrespects the territorial integrity of sovereign nations," Nauert said. "Four years ago this week, Russia held an illegitimate, fabricated "referendum" in Ukraine in a futile attempt to legitimize its purported annexation of Ukrainian territory," she alleged. Nauert alleged that the residents of Crimea were made to vote under duress during 2014's Crimean status referendum. Russia claimed Crimea on March 18, 2014. "Crimean residents were compelled to vote under scrutiny by heavily armed Russian troops.Russia's claim that Ukrainians made a free choice in that sham "referendum" has always lacked credibility," Nauert said. Nauert said Russia has engaged in a campaign of coercion and violence over the past four years, "targeting anyone opposed to its attempted annexation". "In light of Putin's remarks, it is important to call attention to the illegitimacy of the staged "referendum," but also to the tremendous human costs the Russian government has imposed on the people of Crimea," Nauert said. "Russian occupation authorities have subjected Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, pro-Ukrainian activists, civil society members, and independent journalists to politically motivated prosecution and ongoing repression, while methodically suppressing nongovernmental organisations and independent media outlets," Nauert said. The State Department spokesperson applauded people who speak out against the situation in Crimea. "We stand behind those courageous individuals who continue to speak out about these abuses and we call on Russia to cease its attempts to quell fundamental freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and religion or belief," she said. Nauert said the US will continue its Crimea-related sanctions until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine. "We reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Crimea is part of Ukraine," she said.

Russia disrespects territorial integrity of sovereign nations: US

Russian voters are set to propel Vladimir Putin to another term as president in an election on Sunday, giving him credit for standing up for Russia against Western governments that view him as a dangerous autocrat.

Opinion polls show Putin, 65, with a commanding election lead, all but guaranteeing him another term that will take him to nearly a quarter century in power -- a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Josef Stalin.

The only thing that could dampen Putin&#39;s poll triumph is if voter apathy at a predictable contest leads to a low turnout, or if the minority of Russians who vocally oppose him take to the streets to protest against what they see as an undemocratic farce.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">Russian President Vladimir Putin </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank">in</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-in-10-dates-35556" target="_blank"> 10 dates</a>

In an election campaign where Putin has benefited from glowing coverage on mainstream television, he has cast himself as the only person who can defend Russia&#39;s national interests in a hostile world.

&quot;We will withstand this onslaught,&quot; Svetlana Andrus, a ribbon round her neck in the colours of the Russian flag, said during a rally in Moscow in support of Putin. &quot;We will support our country and Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin).&quot;

Putin&#39;s supporters point to Russia&#39;s military intervention in Syria and its annexation of Ukraine&#39;s Crimea region in 2014 as proof of his patriotic credentials. They say U.S. and European sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis are a price worth paying.

A row with Britain over allegations the Kremlin used a nerve agent to poison a Russian double agent in a sleepy English town -- denied by Moscow -- has not dented his standing.

BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN

A March 9 survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM gave Putin, who was first elected president in 2000, support of 69 percent. His nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party&#39;s candidate, is on just 7 percent.

Another candidate, Ksenia Sobchak, a TV presenter and family friend of Putin, has upended expectations by robustly criticising the Kremlin, but she has only 2 percent support, the same survey showed.

Kremlin officials acknowledge that Putin&#39;s dominance could turn people off voting. A low turnout would dent his legitimacy within the ruling elite, founded in part on his ability to command popular support.

In Yekaterinburg, an industrial city in the Ural mountains, unemployed 38-year-old Sergei Khaziev described the election as a &quot;circus performance which for some reason is described as elections... I won&#39;t turn out this time.&quot;

The first politician in years to challenge the Kremlin&#39;s grip on power, Alexei Navalny, is not on the ballot. He was barred because of a corruption conviction he says was fabricated by the Kremlin.

Navalny, who uses social media to whip up anger among his mainly young followers over official corruption, is pushing an election boycott.

&quot;Our boycott campaign is working,&quot; he said this week. As evidence, Navalny pointed to a drive by officials to encourage people to turn out to vote by offering discounted food at polling stations. He also said state officials were applying pressure on civil servants and students to vote.

BURDENS OF OFFICE

Though winning another term is virtually assured, governing Russia for another six years will throw up plentiful challenges.

Buffeted by lower oil prices and the effect of Western sanctions, Russia&#39;s gross domestic product expanded by only 1.5 percent last year, well below the robust growth Russians had come to expect in the earlier years of Putin&#39;s rule.

Putin has spoken of the need to revive economic growth but the steps that many economists prescribe - especially shrinking the state&#39;s role in the economy - are resisted by those in the president&#39;s circle who owe their status and wealth to the state.

His next term may also be overshadowed by uncertainty over his plans once it ends. Term limits bar him from running for another consecutive term, and Putin has said he will not change the constitution to extend his time in office.

Sources inside Russia&#39;s ruling elite say they anticipate he will repeat the manoeuvre he deployed in 2008, the last time he faced term limits, when a loyal lieutenant took over the presidency while Putin governed from behind the scenes.

If Putin, who will be 71 when his next term ends, wants a peaceful retirement, however, he will have to try to engineer a succession. That risks unleashing simmering tensions between rival groups in the ruling elite.

Voting starts in the far east of the vast Russian Federation at 8 am local time (2000 GMT on Saturday) and will roll westwards over 11 time zones, with polling booths in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad due to close at 1900 GMT on Sunday.

Opinion polls show Putin, 65, with a commanding election lead, all but guaranteeing him another term that will take him to nearly a quarter century in power — a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Josef Stalin.

Russian voters are set to propel Vladimir Putin to another term as president in an election on Sunday, giving him credit for standing up for Russia against Western governments that view him as a dangerous autocrat. Opinion polls show Putin, 65, with a commanding election lead, all but guaranteeing him another term that will take him to nearly a quarter century in power -- a longevity among Kremlin leaders second only to Josef Stalin. The only thing that could dampen Putin's poll triumph is if voter apathy at a predictable contest leads to a low turnout, or if the minority of Russians who vocally oppose him take to the streets to protest against what they see as an undemocratic farce. Also read: Russian President Vladimir Putin in 10 dates In an election campaign where Putin has benefited from glowing coverage on mainstream television, he has cast himself as the only person who can defend Russia's national interests in a hostile world. "We will withstand this onslaught," Svetlana Andrus, a ribbon round her neck in the colours of the Russian flag, said during a rally in Moscow in support of Putin. "We will support our country and Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin)." Putin's supporters point to Russia's military intervention in Syria and its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 as proof of his patriotic credentials. They say U.S. and European sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis are a price worth paying. A row with Britain over allegations the Kremlin used a nerve agent to poison a Russian double agent in a sleepy English town -- denied by Moscow -- has not dented his standing. BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN A March 9 survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM gave Putin, who was first elected president in 2000, support of 69 percent. His nearest rival Pavel Grudinin, the Communist Party's candidate, is on just 7 percent. Another candidate, Ksenia Sobchak, a TV presenter and family friend of Putin, has upended expectations by robustly criticising the Kremlin, but she has only 2 percent support, the same survey showed. Kremlin officials acknowledge that Putin's dominance could turn people off voting. A low turnout would dent his legitimacy within the ruling elite, founded in part on his ability to command popular support. In Yekaterinburg, an industrial city in the Ural mountains, unemployed 38-year-old Sergei Khaziev described the election as a "circus performance which for some reason is described as elections... I won't turn out this time." The first politician in years to challenge the Kremlin's grip on power, Alexei Navalny, is not on the ballot. He was barred because of a corruption conviction he says was fabricated by the Kremlin. Navalny, who uses social media to whip up anger among his mainly young followers over official corruption, is pushing an election boycott. "Our boycott campaign is working," he said this week. As evidence, Navalny pointed to a drive by officials to encourage people to turn out to vote by offering discounted food at polling stations. He also said state officials were applying pressure on civil servants and students to vote. BURDENS OF OFFICE Though winning another term is virtually assured, governing Russia for another six years will throw up plentiful challenges. Buffeted by lower oil prices and the effect of Western sanctions, Russia's gross domestic product expanded by only 1.5 percent last year, well below the robust growth Russians had come to expect in the earlier years of Putin's rule. Putin has spoken of the need to revive economic growth but the steps that many economists prescribe - especially shrinking the state's role in the economy - are resisted by those in the president's circle who owe their status and wealth to the state. His next term may also be overshadowed by uncertainty over his plans once it ends. Term limits bar him from running for another consecutive term, and Putin has said he will not change the constitution to extend his time in office. Sources inside Russia's ruling elite say they anticipate he will repeat the manoeuvre he deployed in 2008, the last time he faced term limits, when a loyal lieutenant took over the presidency while Putin governed from behind the scenes. If Putin, who will be 71 when his next term ends, wants a peaceful retirement, however, he will have to try to engineer a succession. That risks unleashing simmering tensions between rival groups in the ruling elite. Voting starts in the far east of the vast Russian Federation at 8 am local time (2000 GMT on Saturday) and will roll westwards over 11 time zones, with polling booths in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad due to close at 1900 GMT on Sunday.

Putin rides 'Russia First' wave towards election victory

Soon after Vladimir Putin is re-elected on Sunday, his thoughts will turn to the question that is likely to dominate his next term as Russia&rsquo;s president: what will he do when it ends?&nbsp;

Putin&rsquo;s victory in the presidential election is not in doubt as his ratings are high and he has the state machinery behind him, but how long the man who has dominated Russia for nearly 18 years wants to stay power is uncertain.

The constitution limits the president to two successive terms, obliging him to step down at the end of his mandate &mdash; as he did in 2008 after serving two four-year terms.

His mandate will not expire until 2024 but the problem needs immediate attention because the uncertainty about his long-term future is a source of instability in a fractious ruling elite that only he can keep in check.

&ldquo;The Russian political scene is entering a new phase,&rdquo; said Gleb Pavlovsky, a former Kremlin adviser who is now critical of the country&rsquo;s leadership.&ldquo;Most discussion within the ruling elite focuses not on the next stage of the Putin era but on what will constitute the post-Putin era.&rdquo;

Vygaudas Usackas, the European Union&rsquo;s ambassador to Russia until last October, says the stakes are high.

&ldquo;This is a risky moment for the system,&rdquo; said Usackas, who is now director of the Institute of Europe at Lithuania&rsquo;s Kaunas University of Technology.

Putin has at least three main options. He could take a leaf out of Chinese President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s book and seek an end to term limits, hand over to a place-holder for a term and then return, or anoint a successor and bow out of public life.

Each choice carries risks and Putin may have other options up his sleeve. A former spy, he is secretive and likes to pull surprises. But the uncertainty about his plans is potentially more destabilizing than anything for the ruling elite, the political, security and business leaders around Putin.&nbsp;

Two sources close to the Kremlin said there was, as yet, no plan for when Putin&rsquo;s term ends. The matter is so sensitive that they agreed to talk only on condition of anonymity.

Russia&rsquo;s ruling system, while projecting an image of unity, is divided along many lines &mdash; between security hawks and economic liberals, between people with personal vendettas, and between competing for business interests.

Putin holds the disparate interests together, so any hint of a vacuum at the centre of the system is risky.

PUTIN FOREVER

Putin is so entrenched within Russia&rsquo;s ruling system that many of its members can imagine no other leader. Many in-state companies and major banks say they anticipate no real change at the top when Putin&rsquo;s next term ends.

&ldquo;There are no discussions in the corridors about the succession. It&rsquo;s as if people know that he (Putin) will be around forever,&rdquo; said a source in a government ministry.

If Putin wants the constitution changed to allow a third successive term, he will need two-thirds support in the lower house of parliament, three-quarters in the upper chamber and approval in two-thirds of regional legislatures.&nbsp;

All are institutions where Kremlin allies are the overwhelming majority but Putin has said will not change the constitution to stay in power. 
&nbsp; 
If he did so, he would risk a backlash from voters who might see it as Russia turning its back on democracy. He also avoided the temptation to tinker with the constitution to extend his rule in 2008, when he last faced term limits.

Instead, he stepped aside and let a loyal lieutenant, Dmitry Medvedev, run for president, certain he would win with the Kremlin&rsquo;s backing. Putin, who became prime minister for four years, secure re-election when Medvedev&rsquo;s term ended in 2012, and Medvedev has been prime minister since then.

Putin controlled the country from the wings between 2008 and 2012 and might see a similar move as an option now. Medvedev&rsquo;s ratings are much lower than Putin&rsquo;s but the ruling elite could accept him as a tried-and-tested proxy for Putin.

&ldquo;Only Medvedev,&rdquo; a source in government circles told Reuters when asked who could be president after Putin.&ldquo;Everyone is afraid of change.&rdquo;&nbsp;

FATIGUE

Age, though, might now get in the way of Putin.&nbsp;

He is in robust physical shape but will be 71 when his fourth term ends. If he again stepped aside for a full term, he would be 77 on his return &mdash; the presidential term was extended to six years in 2008 during Medvedev&rsquo;s presidency.

One of the sources close to the Kremlin said Putin does sometimes feel extremely tired, but largely through exasperation at officials&rsquo; incompetence and bureaucratic sloth.

During a meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko in 2016, Putin was caught on an open microphone confiding to his ally:&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t get enough sleep. The day before yesterday I slept for four hours, last night I got five hours.&rdquo;

Putin might also be loath to rule in his late seventies as he has portrayed himself as a healthy and energetic leader since replacing the ailing Boris Yeltsin and providing the vitality lacked by most leaders in the dying days of the Soviet Union.

He will soon have ruled longer than Soviet Communist leader Leonid Brezhnev, whose 18-year rule from 1964 to 1982 is primarily associated with stagnation, though dictator Josef Stalin ruled the Soviet Union for three decades.

To enjoy a restful retirement, Putin would need to anoint a fully fledged successor who can hold on to power in his or her own right and also protect the interests of the ruling elite.

Kremlin insiders say Putin has selected no heir apparent, and that any names being circulated are the product of speculation, not knowledge of Putin&rsquo;s thinking.

The names include Igor Sechin, head of state oil firm Rosneft; Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu; Igor Dyumin, a former Putin bodyguard who became a regional governor, and Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin.&nbsp;

Anointing a successor also entails dangers for Putin as doing so too soon would risk him becoming a lame duck, allegiances shifting from him to the heir apparent and new turf wars being set off in the ruling elite.

Above all, Putin will want to ensure any successor can hold on to power, will protect him and will not dismantle the system built around him.

Handing over to an heir, while eventually inevitable, will therefore also be Putin&rsquo;s riskiest path.

&ldquo;The longer he stays in power, the harder it will be to exit,&rdquo; said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, a think tank.&ldquo;How can he abandon such a complicated system, which is essentially his personal project?&rdquo;&nbsp;

The constitution limits the president to two successive terms, obliging him to step down at the end of his mandate — as he did in 2008 after serving two four-year terms

Soon after Vladimir Putin is re-elected on Sunday, his thoughts will turn to the question that is likely to dominate his next term as Russia’s president: what will he do when it ends? Putin’s victory in the presidential election is not in doubt as his ratings are high and he has the state machinery behind him, but how long the man who has dominated Russia for nearly 18 years wants to stay power is uncertain. The constitution limits the president to two successive terms, obliging him to step down at the end of his mandate — as he did in 2008 after serving two four-year terms. His mandate will not expire until 2024 but the problem needs immediate attention because the uncertainty about his long-term future is a source of instability in a fractious ruling elite that only he can keep in check. “The Russian political scene is entering a new phase,” said Gleb Pavlovsky, a former Kremlin adviser who is now critical of the country’s leadership.“Most discussion within the ruling elite focuses not on the next stage of the Putin era but on what will constitute the post-Putin era.” Vygaudas Usackas, the European Union’s ambassador to Russia until last October, says the stakes are high. “This is a risky moment for the system,” said Usackas, who is now director of the Institute of Europe at Lithuania’s Kaunas University of Technology. Putin has at least three main options. He could take a leaf out of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s book and seek an end to term limits, hand over to a place-holder for a term and then return, or anoint a successor and bow out of public life. Each choice carries risks and Putin may have other options up his sleeve. A former spy, he is secretive and likes to pull surprises. But the uncertainty about his plans is potentially more destabilizing than anything for the ruling elite, the political, security and business leaders around Putin. Two sources close to the Kremlin said there was, as yet, no plan for when Putin’s term ends. The matter is so sensitive that they agreed to talk only on condition of anonymity. Russia’s ruling system, while projecting an image of unity, is divided along many lines — between security hawks and economic liberals, between people with personal vendettas, and between competing for business interests. Putin holds the disparate interests together, so any hint of a vacuum at the centre of the system is risky. PUTIN FOREVER Putin is so entrenched within Russia’s ruling system that many of its members can imagine no other leader. Many in-state companies and major banks say they anticipate no real change at the top when Putin’s next term ends. “There are no discussions in the corridors about the succession. It’s as if people know that he (Putin) will be around forever,” said a source in a government ministry. If Putin wants the constitution changed to allow a third successive term, he will need two-thirds support in the lower house of parliament, three-quarters in the upper chamber and approval in two-thirds of regional legislatures. All are institutions where Kremlin allies are the overwhelming majority but Putin has said will not change the constitution to stay in power. If he did so, he would risk a backlash from voters who might see it as Russia turning its back on democracy. He also avoided the temptation to tinker with the constitution to extend his rule in 2008, when he last faced term limits. Instead, he stepped aside and let a loyal lieutenant, Dmitry Medvedev, run for president, certain he would win with the Kremlin’s backing. Putin, who became prime minister for four years, secure re-election when Medvedev’s term ended in 2012, and Medvedev has been prime minister since then. Putin controlled the country from the wings between 2008 and 2012 and might see a similar move as an option now. Medvedev’s ratings are much lower than Putin’s but the ruling elite could accept him as a tried-and-tested proxy for Putin. “Only Medvedev,” a source in government circles told Reuters when asked who could be president after Putin.“Everyone is afraid of change.” FATIGUE Age, though, might now get in the way of Putin. He is in robust physical shape but will be 71 when his fourth term ends. If he again stepped aside for a full term, he would be 77 on his return — the presidential term was extended to six years in 2008 during Medvedev’s presidency. One of the sources close to the Kremlin said Putin does sometimes feel extremely tired, but largely through exasperation at officials’ incompetence and bureaucratic sloth. During a meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko in 2016, Putin was caught on an open microphone confiding to his ally:“I don’t get enough sleep. The day before yesterday I slept for four hours, last night I got five hours.” Putin might also be loath to rule in his late seventies as he has portrayed himself as a healthy and energetic leader since replacing the ailing Boris Yeltsin and providing the vitality lacked by most leaders in the dying days of the Soviet Union. He will soon have ruled longer than Soviet Communist leader Leonid Brezhnev, whose 18-year rule from 1964 to 1982 is primarily associated with stagnation, though dictator Josef Stalin ruled the Soviet Union for three decades. To enjoy a restful retirement, Putin would need to anoint a fully fledged successor who can hold on to power in his or her own right and also protect the interests of the ruling elite. Kremlin insiders say Putin has selected no heir apparent, and that any names being circulated are the product of speculation, not knowledge of Putin’s thinking. The names include Igor Sechin, head of state oil firm Rosneft; Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu; Igor Dyumin, a former Putin bodyguard who became a regional governor, and Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Anointing a successor also entails dangers for Putin as doing so too soon would risk him becoming a lame duck, allegiances shifting from him to the heir apparent and new turf wars being set off in the ruling elite. Above all, Putin will want to ensure any successor can hold on to power, will protect him and will not dismantle the system built around him. Handing over to an heir, while eventually inevitable, will therefore also be Putin’s riskiest path. “The longer he stays in power, the harder it will be to exit,” said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, a think tank.“How can he abandon such a complicated system, which is essentially his personal project?”

Vladimir Putin has Russia guessing before election: How long will he hold on to power?

Russia seems to have gone too far in its efforts to encourage Russians to vote in the upcoming Presidential elections. A picture of Russia regional deputy wife is doing the rounds on the internet. Yulia Dyatlova poses with a &quot;We&#39;re going to the polls&quot; banner along with eight other &#39;suggestively&#39;&nbsp;nude women.&nbsp;

The image has sparked media attention as well as condemnation from all across. In the picture, Yulia Dyatlova, the wife of Aleksandr Dyatlov -- who is a deputy with the United Russia party in a local assembly -- is seen surrounded by eight long-legged young women, apparently nude.&nbsp;

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The image was posted online by an image-making agency owned by Dyatlova.

In a press release, Dyatlova shared that her husband is neither embarrassed nor jealous of her photoshoot. According to Dyatlova, the image represents Russian women and their diversity. The motto was to suggest that women from all walks of life will go out to poll this Sunday, others should follow in large numbers. &nbsp;

The image was posted online by an image-making agency owned by Dyatlova.

Russia seems to have gone too far in its efforts to encourage Russians to vote in the upcoming Presidential elections. A picture of Russia regional deputy wife is doing the rounds on the internet. Yulia Dyatlova poses with a "We're going to the polls" banner along with eight other 'suggestively' nude women. The image has sparked media attention as well as condemnation from all across. In the picture, Yulia Dyatlova, the wife of Aleksandr Dyatlov -- who is a deputy with the United Russia party in a local assembly -- is seen surrounded by eight long-legged young women, apparently nude. × The image was posted online by an image-making agency owned by Dyatlova. In a press release, Dyatlova shared that her husband is neither embarrassed nor jealous of her photoshoot. According to Dyatlova, the image represents Russian women and their diversity. The motto was to suggest that women from all walks of life will go out to poll this Sunday, others should follow in large numbers.

Presidential polls: Russian deputy's wife 'suggestively' poses naked on banner

Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing condemnation over his recent remark where he suggested the involvement of Russian Jews in the 2016 US presidential elections. Putin suggested the 2016 US presidential polls have been likely manipulated by the Russian Jews.

Putin made these remarks during a television interview on Saturday. During the interview, he also stated the possibility of anyone in the country to have been behind the 2016 US Presidential Elections manipulation except the Russian government.&nbsp;

&quot;Maybe they&#39;re not even Russians. Maybe they&#39;re Ukrainian, Tatars, Jews - just with Russian citizenship,&quot; Putin stated during the interview.&nbsp;

&quot;Maybe they have dual citizenship, or maybe a green card. Maybe it was the Americans who paid them for this work. How do you know? I don&#39;t know,&quot; the Russian President added.&nbsp;

Putin has been facing severe backlash for his comments. The American Jewish Committee on Sunday called Putin&#39;s statements similar to &quot;the Protocols of the Elders of Zion&quot;.

Members of Israel&#39;s parliament have also thrown flak at Putin&#39;s comments.

&quot;We are quite familiar with the oldies &#39;Maybe Jews run the world, maybe Jews use blood for their rituals, maybe Jews had slaughtered Jews in Poland&#39;. Now comes the latest hit &#39;maybe Jews meddled in US elections&#39;. Our government has to condemn strongly this statement #putin #jews,&quot; Ksenia Svetlova, a Zionist Union lawmaker tweeted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

Members of Israel's parliament have also thrown flak at Putin's comments

Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing condemnation over his recent remark where he suggested the involvement of Russian Jews in the 2016 US presidential elections. Putin suggested the 2016 US presidential polls have been likely manipulated by the Russian Jews. Putin made these remarks during a television interview on Saturday. During the interview, he also stated the possibility of anyone in the country to have been behind the 2016 US Presidential Elections manipulation except the Russian government. "Maybe they're not even Russians. Maybe they're Ukrainian, Tatars, Jews - just with Russian citizenship," Putin stated during the interview. "Maybe they have dual citizenship, or maybe a green card. Maybe it was the Americans who paid them for this work. How do you know? I don't know," the Russian President added. Putin has been facing severe backlash for his comments. The American Jewish Committee on Sunday called Putin's statements similar to "the Protocols of the Elders of Zion". Members of Israel's parliament have also thrown flak at Putin's comments. "We are quite familiar with the oldies 'Maybe Jews run the world, maybe Jews use blood for their rituals, maybe Jews had slaughtered Jews in Poland'. Now comes the latest hit 'maybe Jews meddled in US elections'. Our government has to condemn strongly this statement #putin #jews," Ksenia Svetlova, a Zionist Union lawmaker tweeted. (With inputs from ANI)

Putin says Russian Jews manipulated 2016 US Presidential polls, faces backlash

Russia said Sunday it successfully launched a hypersonic missile which President Vladimir Putin called &quot;an ideal weapon&quot; as he unveiled a new array of next-generation arms earlier this month.

The high-precision Kinzhal (Dagger) missile was launched from a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield in the South Military District in Russia&#39;s southwest, the defence ministry said.

&quot;The launch went according to plan, the hypersonic missile hit its target,&quot; the ministry added.

The ministry released video footage showing two pilots gearing up for a flight and then running towards a jet with a large missile slung beneath its underbelly.&nbsp;

Set to rousing, patriotic music, the video then shows a missile detaching from the airborne plane and gliding across the dark sky, leaving a fiery trail behind.

The Kinzhal missile was one of an array of new weapons Putin unveiled in his state-of-the-nation address earlier this month, ahead of a presidential election on March 18 that he is all but guaranteed to win.

Putin said the missile flies at 10 times the speed of the sound and can overcome air-defence systems.&nbsp;

The missile has been deployed in the Southern Military District since December 1, he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Facebook that work had also been done to modernise the &quot;unique&quot; MiG-31 supersonic jet that will carry the missile.&nbsp;

Since the start of the year, more than 250 sorties have been carried out by the aircraft to perfect the work of the missile systems, the defence ministry said.

The high-precision Kinzhal (Dagger) missile was launched from a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield in the South Military District in Russia's southwest

Russia said Sunday it successfully launched a hypersonic missile which President Vladimir Putin called "an ideal weapon" as he unveiled a new array of next-generation arms earlier this month. The high-precision Kinzhal (Dagger) missile was launched from a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield in the South Military District in Russia's southwest, the defence ministry said. "The launch went according to plan, the hypersonic missile hit its target," the ministry added. The ministry released video footage showing two pilots gearing up for a flight and then running towards a jet with a large missile slung beneath its underbelly. Set to rousing, patriotic music, the video then shows a missile detaching from the airborne plane and gliding across the dark sky, leaving a fiery trail behind. The Kinzhal missile was one of an array of new weapons Putin unveiled in his state-of-the-nation address earlier this month, ahead of a presidential election on March 18 that he is all but guaranteed to win. Putin said the missile flies at 10 times the speed of the sound and can overcome air-defence systems. The missile has been deployed in the Southern Military District since December 1, he added. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Facebook that work had also been done to modernise the "unique" MiG-31 supersonic jet that will carry the missile. Since the start of the year, more than 250 sorties have been carried out by the aircraft to perfect the work of the missile systems, the defence ministry said.

Russia test-fires 'ideal' hypersonic missile

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that under no circumstances would he give Crimea back to Ukraine, speaking in a new documentary released Sunday ahead of his expected re-election in next week&#39;s poll.

&quot;What, have you gone mad?&quot; he told a journalist who asked him if there were any circumstances under which the Russian leader would be ready to give up Crimea.

&quot;There are no such circumstances and never will be,&quot; he said in the new two-hour documentary &quot;Putin&quot;.

It was published on the social media accounts of notorious pro-Kremlin TV host Dmitry Kiselev ahead of a presidential election on March 18.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and supported Russian-speaking insurgents in the east of the ex-Soviet country after a Western-backed popular uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime from power in Kiev.

The peninsula&#39;s annexation led to European and US sanctions against Moscow amid the most serious crisis in ties with the West since the end of the Cold War.

The documentary -- produced by journalist Andrei Kondrashov, who is a spokesman for Putin&#39;s campaign -- features interviews with a number of the Russian leader&#39;s allies including former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and childhood friend cellist Sergei Roldugin.

The secretive chief executive of oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, said he had served under Putin in various capacities for nearly 30 years and that the president was &quot;a very careful person&quot;.

&quot;Honestly speaking, I don&#39;t know a single mistake he has made over these years,&quot; Sechin said in rare public comments.

&quot;He is very careful at making decisions.&quot;

Speaking on everything from his family to childhood to love and happiness, Putin said he was capable of forgiving.

&quot;But not everything,&quot; he quickly added, noting he could not forgive a betrayal.

&quot;Generally speaking, I cannot complain that I&#39;ve come across any serious events that could be called a betrayal,&quot; Putin said.

Running against a motley crew of seven challengers, Putin is expected to take nearly 70 percent of the vote with a turnout of more than 60 percent, according to state-run pollsters.

The peninsula's annexation led to European and US sanctions against Moscow amid the most serious crisis in ties with the West since the end of the Cold War

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that under no circumstances would he give Crimea back to Ukraine, speaking in a new documentary released Sunday ahead of his expected re-election in next week's poll. "What, have you gone mad?" he told a journalist who asked him if there were any circumstances under which the Russian leader would be ready to give up Crimea. "There are no such circumstances and never will be," he said in the new two-hour documentary "Putin". It was published on the social media accounts of notorious pro-Kremlin TV host Dmitry Kiselev ahead of a presidential election on March 18. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and supported Russian-speaking insurgents in the east of the ex-Soviet country after a Western-backed popular uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime from power in Kiev. The peninsula's annexation led to European and US sanctions against Moscow amid the most serious crisis in ties with the West since the end of the Cold War. The documentary -- produced by journalist Andrei Kondrashov, who is a spokesman for Putin's campaign -- features interviews with a number of the Russian leader's allies including former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and childhood friend cellist Sergei Roldugin. The secretive chief executive of oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, said he had served under Putin in various capacities for nearly 30 years and that the president was "a very careful person". "Honestly speaking, I don't know a single mistake he has made over these years," Sechin said in rare public comments. "He is very careful at making decisions." Speaking on everything from his family to childhood to love and happiness, Putin said he was capable of forgiving. "But not everything," he quickly added, noting he could not forgive a betrayal. "Generally speaking, I cannot complain that I've come across any serious events that could be called a betrayal," Putin said. Running against a motley crew of seven challengers, Putin is expected to take nearly 70 percent of the vote with a turnout of more than 60 percent, according to state-run pollsters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will 'never' give Crimea back to Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that he had no plans to change the constitution to stay in the Kremlin beyond 2024.

Asked by the US television network NBC whether he would follow in the footsteps of China&#39;s Xi Jinping, Putin insisted he had no such intentions.

&quot;I never changed the constitution, I did not do it to suit myself and I have no such plans to do so today,&quot; he said in an interview whose transcript was released by the Kremlin on Saturday.

Putin also rejected suggestions that he could not quit power because it would put him in danger, saying he heard &quot;a lot of ravings on this subject&quot;.

&quot;Why do you think after me power in Russia will be necessarily taken over by people who are ready to destroy everything that I have done over the past years?&quot; Putin said.

He said though he had been thinking about his potential successor, ultimately the decision would be taken by the Russian people.

&quot;It never hurts to think but at the end of the day it will be the Russian people who will decide that,&quot; he said.

The Russian president, who is accused by critics of having ambitions to stay in power indefinitely, is expected to be reelected for a fourth term in an upcoming ballot.

Putin, who was first elected president in 2000 and is running for a fourth term in the March 18 polls, has always prided himself on respecting the constitution, which bars him from serving more than two presidential terms in a row.

Putin&#39;s top critic Alexei Navalny has been barred from contesting the poll because of a criminal conviction his supporters call punishment for challenging the strongman.

Putin declined to say whether he could pardon Navalny.

&quot;Any man can be pardoned if he deserves this,&quot; said Putin.

The Russian president, who never called Navalny by his name in public, referred to the 41-year-old opposition politician as &quot;certain political forces&quot;.

&quot;What do I like in principle? It&#39;s that they expose problems and this is good, indeed it&#39;s right,&quot; Putin said.

&quot;But it&#39;s not enough for the country&#39;s positive development. Absolutely not enough. Because concentrating one&#39;s attention on problems, it&#39;s not only insufficient, it&#39;s even dangerous because it could lead to certain destruction and we need creation.&quot;

Asked by the US television network NBC whether he would follow in the footsteps of China's Xi Jinping, Putin insisted he had no such intentions

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that he had no plans to change the constitution to stay in the Kremlin beyond 2024. Asked by the US television network NBC whether he would follow in the footsteps of China's Xi Jinping, Putin insisted he had no such intentions. "I never changed the constitution, I did not do it to suit myself and I have no such plans to do so today," he said in an interview whose transcript was released by the Kremlin on Saturday. Putin also rejected suggestions that he could not quit power because it would put him in danger, saying he heard "a lot of ravings on this subject". "Why do you think after me power in Russia will be necessarily taken over by people who are ready to destroy everything that I have done over the past years?" Putin said. He said though he had been thinking about his potential successor, ultimately the decision would be taken by the Russian people. "It never hurts to think but at the end of the day it will be the Russian people who will decide that," he said. The Russian president, who is accused by critics of having ambitions to stay in power indefinitely, is expected to be reelected for a fourth term in an upcoming ballot. Putin, who was first elected president in 2000 and is running for a fourth term in the March 18 polls, has always prided himself on respecting the constitution, which bars him from serving more than two presidential terms in a row. Putin's top critic Alexei Navalny has been barred from contesting the poll because of a criminal conviction his supporters call punishment for challenging the strongman. Putin declined to say whether he could pardon Navalny. "Any man can be pardoned if he deserves this," said Putin. The Russian president, who never called Navalny by his name in public, referred to the 41-year-old opposition politician as "certain political forces". "What do I like in principle? It's that they expose problems and this is good, indeed it's right," Putin said. "But it's not enough for the country's positive development. Absolutely not enough. Because concentrating one's attention on problems, it's not only insufficient, it's even dangerous because it could lead to certain destruction and we need creation."

No plans to do so: Putin on changing constitution to cling to power

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised female bosses and their &quot;typically feminine traits&quot; during a visit to a pastry factory ahead of International Women&#39;s Day.&nbsp;

March 8 is a public holiday in Russia but is mainly celebrated by giving flowers and chocolates to women rather than stressing the need for gender equality.

&quot;To be a major shareholder... or the head of a business, you have to have particular qualities,&quot; said Putin as he met with female entrepreneurs in the city of Samara on the Volga river.

&quot; I think that women do have these qualities, and even certain advantages,&quot; said the president, who cultivates a macho image and is often photographed topless and playing sports.&nbsp;

&quot;Men are, as they say, tougher. But if these leadership qualities are combined with typically feminine traits, then the result is often much superior to the assertiveness of strong men.&quot;

Russia&#39;s last female leader was Catherine the Great, who died in 1796, and the only woman standing in a presidential election this month, Ksenia Sobchak, has around one percent of the projected vote.

Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin has pulled out of televised presidential debates, which Putin has refused to take part in, but briefly returned Wednesday to wish Sobchak the best on the upcoming holiday.&nbsp;

He apologised to the former reality TV host and socialite &quot;on behalf of all men&quot; for the insults she suffered during a previous debate, at which an ultra-nationalist candidate called her a &quot;whore&quot;.&nbsp;

Grudinin then handed Sobchak a bouquet of flowers and left the stage.

Moscow Metro said it had set up temporary beauty salons in one of the capital&#39;s major underground stations to offer free make-up and styling to female passengers.

A group of feminist activists were detained on International Women&#39;s Day last year after protesting near the Kremlin with banners calling for an end to male rule.

March 8 is a public holiday in Russia but is mainly celebrated by giving flowers and chocolates to women than stressing the need for gender equality

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised female bosses and their "typically feminine traits" during a visit to a pastry factory ahead of International Women's Day. March 8 is a public holiday in Russia but is mainly celebrated by giving flowers and chocolates to women rather than stressing the need for gender equality. "To be a major shareholder... or the head of a business, you have to have particular qualities," said Putin as he met with female entrepreneurs in the city of Samara on the Volga river. " I think that women do have these qualities, and even certain advantages," said the president, who cultivates a macho image and is often photographed topless and playing sports. "Men are, as they say, tougher. But if these leadership qualities are combined with typically feminine traits, then the result is often much superior to the assertiveness of strong men." Russia's last female leader was Catherine the Great, who died in 1796, and the only woman standing in a presidential election this month, Ksenia Sobchak, has around one percent of the projected vote. Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin has pulled out of televised presidential debates, which Putin has refused to take part in, but briefly returned Wednesday to wish Sobchak the best on the upcoming holiday. He apologised to the former reality TV host and socialite "on behalf of all men" for the insults she suffered during a previous debate, at which an ultra-nationalist candidate called her a "whore". Grudinin then handed Sobchak a bouquet of flowers and left the stage. Moscow Metro said it had set up temporary beauty salons in one of the capital's major underground stations to offer free make-up and styling to female passengers. A group of feminist activists were detained on International Women's Day last year after protesting near the Kremlin with banners calling for an end to male rule.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hails 'advantages' of female bosses ahead of women's day

British police raced on Tuesday to identify the substance suspected of striking down a former Russian double agent convicted of treason in Moscow for betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence.

Britain&#39;s top counter-terrorism officer, Mark Rowley, said investigators needed to be &quot;alive to the fact of state threats&quot; after Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia&#39;s GRU military intelligence service, was taken ill.

The 66-year-old former spy and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found on Sunday unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the English city of Salisbury after exposure to what police said was an unknown substance.

Both were critically ill in intensive care.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after he was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

While the British authorities said there was no known risk to the public, police sealed off the area where the former spy was found and a pizza restaurant called Zizzi in the centre of Salisbury. Some investigators wore yellow chemical suits.

&quot;We&#39;re speaking to witnesses, we&#39;re taking forensic samples at the scene, we&#39;re doing toxicology work and that will help us to get to an answer,&quot; Rowley told BBC radio. He said counter-terrorism police were assisting the investigation.

&quot;We have to remember: Russian exiles aren&#39;t immortal, they do all die and there can be a tendency to conspiracy theories. But likewise we have to be alive to the fact of state threats,&quot; he said, pointing to the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

A British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in the killing of Litvinenko.

Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London&rsquo;s Millennium Hotel.

It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko&#39;s illness.

British police did not release the names of those who were being treated but two sources close to the investigation told Reuters that the critically ill man was Skripal. It was unclear what the substance was, they said.

The BBC, which first reported Skripal&#39;s name, said his daughter Yulia was the 33-year-old woman found beside him.

The Kremlin said it was ready to cooperate if Britain asks it for help investigating the incident with Skripal.

&quot;Nobody has approached us with such a request,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters when asked if the British authorities had been in touch seeking help. &quot;Moscow is always open for cooperation.&quot;

Calling it a &quot;tragic situation,&quot; Peskov said the Kremlin did not have information about the incident.

RUSSIAN SPY

Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Peskov said: &quot;It didn&#39;t take them long.&quot;

Skripal was arrested in 2004 by Russia&#39;s Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.

Skripal, who was at the time shown wearing a track suit in a cage in court during the sentencing, had admitted betraying agents to MI6 in return for money, some of it paid into a Spanish bank account, Russian media said at the time.

But he was pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow.

SPY SWAP

The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a US jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged.

One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman. She was one of 10 who tried to blend in to American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010.

The returning Russian spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Putin, himself a former KGB officer who served in what was then East Germany, sang patriotic songs with them.

Skripal, though, was cast as a traitor by Moscow. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe.

The GRU spy service, created in 1918 under revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, is controlled by the military general staff and reports directly to the president. It has spies spread across the world.

Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday.

The Sun newspaper said his wife was killed in a car accident shortly after her arrival in Britain. His son was killed in a car accident in Russia.

&quot;On the bench there was a couple, an older guy and a younger girl. She was sort of leant-in on him. It looked like she&#39;d passed out maybe. He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky,&quot; witness Freya Church told the BBC.

&quot;They looked so out of it that I thought even if I did step in I wasn&#39;t sure how I could help, so I just left them. But it looked like they&#39;d been taking something quite strong.&quot;

A white and yellow police forensics tent covered the bench where he was taken ill.

Both were critically ill in intensive care.

British police raced on Tuesday to identify the substance suspected of striking down a former Russian double agent convicted of treason in Moscow for betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence. Britain's top counter-terrorism officer, Mark Rowley, said investigators needed to be "alive to the fact of state threats" after Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, was taken ill. The 66-year-old former spy and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found on Sunday unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the English city of Salisbury after exposure to what police said was an unknown substance. Both were critically ill in intensive care. Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after he was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport. While the British authorities said there was no known risk to the public, police sealed off the area where the former spy was found and a pizza restaurant called Zizzi in the centre of Salisbury. Some investigators wore yellow chemical suits. "We're speaking to witnesses, we're taking forensic samples at the scene, we're doing toxicology work and that will help us to get to an answer," Rowley told BBC radio. He said counter-terrorism police were assisting the investigation. "We have to remember: Russian exiles aren't immortal, they do all die and there can be a tendency to conspiracy theories. But likewise we have to be alive to the fact of state threats," he said, pointing to the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. A British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in the killing of Litvinenko. Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London’s Millennium Hotel. It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko's illness. British police did not release the names of those who were being treated but two sources close to the investigation told Reuters that the critically ill man was Skripal. It was unclear what the substance was, they said. The BBC, which first reported Skripal's name, said his daughter Yulia was the 33-year-old woman found beside him. The Kremlin said it was ready to cooperate if Britain asks it for help investigating the incident with Skripal. "Nobody has approached us with such a request," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters when asked if the British authorities had been in touch seeking help. "Moscow is always open for cooperation." Calling it a "tragic situation," Peskov said the Kremlin did not have information about the incident. RUSSIAN SPY Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Peskov said: "It didn't take them long." Skripal was arrested in 2004 by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial. Skripal, who was at the time shown wearing a track suit in a cage in court during the sentencing, had admitted betraying agents to MI6 in return for money, some of it paid into a Spanish bank account, Russian media said at the time. But he was pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow. SPY SWAP The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a US jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged. One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman. She was one of 10 who tried to blend in to American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010. The returning Russian spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Putin, himself a former KGB officer who served in what was then East Germany, sang patriotic songs with them. Skripal, though, was cast as a traitor by Moscow. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe. The GRU spy service, created in 1918 under revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, is controlled by the military general staff and reports directly to the president. It has spies spread across the world. Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday. The Sun newspaper said his wife was killed in a car accident shortly after her arrival in Britain. His son was killed in a car accident in Russia. "On the bench there was a couple, an older guy and a younger girl. She was sort of leant-in on him. It looked like she'd passed out maybe. He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky," witness Freya Church told the BBC. "They looked so out of it that I thought even if I did step in I wasn't sure how I could help, so I just left them. But it looked like they'd been taking something quite strong." A white and yellow police forensics tent covered the bench where he was taken ill.

Ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal, daughter ill after exposure to 'unidentified substance' in Britain

The Kremlin insisted US sanctions against Russia were &quot;illegal&quot; today, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to extend measures put in place during the Ukraine crisis.

&quot;We have never been the initiator of these sanctions, we consider them illegal and harmful not just to the people of our two countries but the whole world,&quot; Russian presidential press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, Interfax news agency reported.

Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia&#39;s 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula and Moscow&#39;s backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week set the course for a new arms race with Washington as he boasted of a new generation of &quot;invincible&quot; Russian weapons developed in response to the threat posed by the US.

The moves come as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War, despite candidate Trump&#39;s promises to mend fences.

As well as the Ukraine crisis, Russia and the US have clashed over the conflict in Syria and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US election in 2016.

Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula and Moscow's backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine

The Kremlin insisted US sanctions against Russia were "illegal" today, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to extend measures put in place during the Ukraine crisis. "We have never been the initiator of these sanctions, we consider them illegal and harmful not just to the people of our two countries but the whole world," Russian presidential press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, Interfax news agency reported. Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula and Moscow's backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin this week set the course for a new arms race with Washington as he boasted of a new generation of "invincible" Russian weapons developed in response to the threat posed by the US. The moves come as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War, despite candidate Trump's promises to mend fences. As well as the Ukraine crisis, Russia and the US have clashed over the conflict in Syria and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US election in 2016.

Russia slams 'illegal and harmful' extended US sanctions

President Vladimir Putin on Saturday promised &quot;victories&quot; for Russia at a star-studded rally attended by tens of thousands of supporters ahead of a March 18 election he is all but certain to win.

Olympic athletes, celebrities and cosmonauts had taken to the stage to voice their support for Putin, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades and is seeking to extend his Kremlin term to 2024.

&quot;We want our country to be bright and looking to the future, for our children and grandchildren...we will do everything we can for them to be happy,&quot; he told the cheering crowd at Moscow&#39;s Luzhniki stadium.

&quot;Nobody else will do this for us. And if we do this, the coming decade and the whole 21st century will be marked by our bright victories,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;Together we are a team. Are we a team?&quot; he asked the crowd, which replied, &quot;Yes!&quot;.&nbsp;

Organisers said around 100,000 people were expected to turn out. An AFP journalist said the stadium was completely full for Putin&#39;s speech, which was to be followed by a concert by big-name Russian popstars.

Supporters held signs saying &quot;I am for Putin&quot;, &quot;Putin is our president&quot; and &quot;I&#39;m voting for the future&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I do not see another candidate who could be our commander in chief. He&#39;s the only one. Putin is our president,&quot; Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov said from the stage.&nbsp;

&quot;Only with him can our country achieve cosmic successes,&quot; said cosmonaut Sergei Ryazansky.&nbsp;

The event is the first rally in an otherwise lacklustre campaign for Putin, who has yet to produce a programme and has declined to take part in televised debates with seven other candidates.

None of the other contenders, including former socialite Ksenia Sobchak and millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin, has more than eight percent support, according to official polls.

On Thursday Putin used a state of the nation address to set the course for a new arms race with WMoscowngton, boasting of a new generation of &quot;invincible&quot; Russian weapons developed in response to recent actions by the United States.

He also outlined Russia&#39;s priorities for the six years that would be his next term, focusing on reducing poverty and tackling environmental problems.

Despite campaign promises when Putin returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after four years as prime minister, his last term was marked by a fall in living standards and Russia&#39;s international isolation.

Boosted by a slavish media and foreign military adventures such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his approval rating remains sky-high and official polls suggest he will take almost 70 percent of the vote.

Olympic athletes, celebrities, and cosmonauts had taken to the stage to voice their support for Putin

President Vladimir Putin on Saturday promised "victories" for Russia at a star-studded rally attended by tens of thousands of supporters ahead of a March 18 election he is all but certain to win. Olympic athletes, celebrities and cosmonauts had taken to the stage to voice their support for Putin, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades and is seeking to extend his Kremlin term to 2024. "We want our country to be bright and looking to the future, for our children and grandchildren...we will do everything we can for them to be happy," he told the cheering crowd at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium. "Nobody else will do this for us. And if we do this, the coming decade and the whole 21st century will be marked by our bright victories," he said. "Together we are a team. Are we a team?" he asked the crowd, which replied, "Yes!". Organisers said around 100,000 people were expected to turn out. An AFP journalist said the stadium was completely full for Putin's speech, which was to be followed by a concert by big-name Russian popstars. Supporters held signs saying "I am for Putin", "Putin is our president" and "I'm voting for the future". "I do not see another candidate who could be our commander in chief. He's the only one. Putin is our president," Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov said from the stage. "Only with him can our country achieve cosmic successes," said cosmonaut Sergei Ryazansky. The event is the first rally in an otherwise lacklustre campaign for Putin, who has yet to produce a programme and has declined to take part in televised debates with seven other candidates. None of the other contenders, including former socialite Ksenia Sobchak and millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin, has more than eight percent support, according to official polls. On Thursday Putin used a state of the nation address to set the course for a new arms race with WMoscowngton, boasting of a new generation of "invincible" Russian weapons developed in response to recent actions by the United States. He also outlined Russia's priorities for the six years that would be his next term, focusing on reducing poverty and tackling environmental problems. Despite campaign promises when Putin returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after four years as prime minister, his last term was marked by a fall in living standards and Russia's international isolation. Boosted by a slavish media and foreign military adventures such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his approval rating remains sky-high and official polls suggest he will take almost 70 percent of the vote.

Putin promises 'victories' for Russia at star-studded rally

Pamela Anderson, former Playboy model who has been married four times and has never been shy to talk about her relationships has now revealed some more explicit details about her love life to Piers Morgan.&nbsp;

Speaking on Piers Morgan&#39;s Life Stories, the 50-year-old model-actress turned activist&nbsp;spoke candidly about the men in her life as she hinted at past relationships. She hinted at a romance with the likes of&nbsp;Vladimir Putin, 65, Julian Assange, 46, Sylvester Stallone, 71, and of course her current flame, footballer boyfriend Adil Rami, 32.&nbsp;

Anderson spoke about her connect with Putin with whom she successfully lobbied to get him to ban the hunting of seals in 2009.&nbsp;

She then teased a romantic relationship with Assange by answering to Morgans&#39; question of them being together as&nbsp;being &quot;mostly&quot; good friends. She had previously stated: &quot;I wouldn&#39;t say it&#39;s romantic, but we are very close.&quot;

Anderson also spoke about her rapport with&nbsp;Sylvester Stallone who she claimed attempted to woo her by offering her an apartment and a car. She, however, declined the offer.&nbsp;

Anderson went on to explain that she always her aunt&#39;s mantra that &quot;One man can&rsquo;t do it all&quot;, as she explained that she has different men in her life that stimulate different parts of her.

She then said that her heart remains with her current boyfriend,&nbsp;Marseille footballer Adil Rami - who she now lives with, in France. She said, &quot;He is fantastic. I love him, of course. I probably should not be talking about it. I am so bad. I have no filter. So bad. You are so good. It is what it is. I am happy in France.&quot;

On another note, she also revealed that men in Hollywood must not feel that they can&#39;t make the first move in the wake of the sexual misconduct scandal. She said,&nbsp;&quot;Obviously, I am supportive of women and feel for women that have been made sexual advances on that they don&rsquo;t want, but I also feel for the men too. I have two young boys and I always was very worried about a woman falsely accusing them of something and ruining their lives, so I thought people ask me if I&rsquo;m a feminist and I don&rsquo;t want women or men telling me how to be a woman. I prefer men to be passionate and aggressive and make the first move, and you don&rsquo;t want men to feel like they can&rsquo;t, but obviously there are people that go too far.&quot;

Anderson, interestingly, also added that being vegan is &quot;better for your sex life&quot;.&nbsp;

She has been married four times and has been very vocal about her relationships

Pamela Anderson, former Playboy model who has been married four times and has never been shy to talk about her relationships has now revealed some more explicit details about her love life to Piers Morgan. Speaking on Piers Morgan's Life Stories, the 50-year-old model-actress turned activist spoke candidly about the men in her life as she hinted at past relationships. She hinted at a romance with the likes of Vladimir Putin, 65, Julian Assange, 46, Sylvester Stallone, 71, and of course her current flame, footballer boyfriend Adil Rami, 32. Anderson spoke about her connect with Putin with whom she successfully lobbied to get him to ban the hunting of seals in 2009. She then teased a romantic relationship with Assange by answering to Morgans' question of them being together as being "mostly" good friends. She had previously stated: "I wouldn't say it's romantic, but we are very close." Anderson also spoke about her rapport with Sylvester Stallone who she claimed attempted to woo her by offering her an apartment and a car. She, however, declined the offer. Anderson went on to explain that she always her aunt's mantra that "One man can’t do it all", as she explained that she has different men in her life that stimulate different parts of her. She then said that her heart remains with her current boyfriend, Marseille footballer Adil Rami - who she now lives with, in France. She said, "He is fantastic. I love him, of course. I probably should not be talking about it. I am so bad. I have no filter. So bad. You are so good. It is what it is. I am happy in France." On another note, she also revealed that men in Hollywood must not feel that they can't make the first move in the wake of the sexual misconduct scandal. She said, "Obviously, I am supportive of women and feel for women that have been made sexual advances on that they don’t want, but I also feel for the men too. I have two young boys and I always was very worried about a woman falsely accusing them of something and ruining their lives, so I thought people ask me if I’m a feminist and I don’t want women or men telling me how to be a woman. I prefer men to be passionate and aggressive and make the first move, and you don’t want men to feel like they can’t, but obviously there are people that go too far." Anderson, interestingly, also added that being vegan is "better for your sex life".

Pamela Anderson spoke about her wild love life to Piers Morgan, said 'one man can't do it all'

The United States on Thursday accused Moscow of openly breaching Cold War-era treaties by developing what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a new generation of &quot;invincible&quot; hypersonic weapons and submarines.

Putin unveiled the new arsenal earlier Thursday in a state of the nation address, challenging Washington to a new arms race ahead of a presidential election that will all but certainly confirm his grip on power.

Putin left his usual Kremlin perch to this year speak from a nearby exhibition centre -- allowing him to show a series of video montages of missiles crossing mountains and oceans, heading over the Atlantic before striking the US eastern seaboard.

He quoted a speech he gave in 2004, vowing that Russia would develop a new generation of weaponry, a promise that he said he has now fulfilled.

&quot;No one really wanted to talk to us basically. No one listened to us then. Listen to us now,&quot; Putin said, prompting a standing ovation from the audience of top officials, lawmakers and celebrities.

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 own nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons.

&#39;Cheesy&#39; attack video 

The State Department expressed outrage at Putin&#39;s presentation and his &quot;cheesy&quot; animated video of warheads over US soil -- and said the Russian leader had confirmed long-held allegations about his program.

&quot;It was certainly unfortunate to have watched the video animation that depicted a nuclear attack on the United States,&quot; spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.

&quot;That&#39;s something that we certainly didn&#39;t enjoy watching. We don&#39;t regard that as the behaviour of a responsible international player,&quot; she added.

&quot;President Putin has confirmed what the United States government has known for a long time but that Russia has denied prior to this,&quot; she added.

&quot;Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for more than a decade in direct violation of its treaty obligations.&quot;

Specifically, Nauert said that Moscow had proven itself in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), through its development of ground-launched cruise missiles.

The Pentagon reacted with more equanimity, with a spokesman insisting that the US military remains &quot;fully prepared&quot; to react to &quot;anything that comes our way.&quot; &nbsp;

The United States has long accused Russia of breaching the INF treaty and, while it is modernizing its own nuclear arsenal, says that it remains in compliance with the terms of the Cold War accord.

The spat came as relations between the powers lie frozen at 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.

Also Thursday, the US formally approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian-backed insurgency in the east of the country.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Ukraine has asked President Donald Trump&#39;s US administration for permission to buy 210 missiles and 37 launchers at a cost of around $47 million

&#39;Fantastic&#39; submarines&nbsp;

In a speech that ran almost two hours, Putin showed tests of a new missile system that he said could fly at 20 times the speed of sound and manoeuvre up and down and is not owned by any other country.&nbsp;

&quot;This makes it absolutely invincible for any forms of air and missile defence,&quot; he boasted, calling it an &quot;ideal weapon.&quot;

Russia has also developed unmanned underwater devices that move much faster than submarines and torpedoes and can carry nuclear warheads, Putin said, adding: &quot;It&#39;s just fantastic!&quot;

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later said Russian arms would be able to &quot;overcome all existing anti-missile systems&quot; such as those the US intends to deploy in eastern Europe and South Korea.

&quot;This anti-missile &#39;umbrella&#39; turns out to be a bit &#39;leaky&#39;,&quot; he said in comments released by his ministry.

Putin, who has led Russia for almost two decades and is seeking in the March 18 election a historic fourth Kremlin term that would extend his rule to 2024, also laid out a number of domestic measures in the speech.

Putin has refused to take part in TV debates with other candidates, but the address suggested cutting poverty and improving the environment would be among the top goals of his expected new six-year term.

- &#39;Unacceptable&#39; poverty - 
The 65-year-old vowed to cut the country&#39;s &quot;unacceptable&quot; poverty rate in half over six years but said 22 million fewer Russians were now living below the poverty line than when he was first elected president.

Putin, who coughed throughout the speech and was forced to pause to drink, was given an ecstatic reception in the hall during the televised address but some online comments were less complimentary.

&quot;The old man only perked up when he was talking about how he can destroy the world. A moment of truth!&quot; former Kremlin advisor Gleb Pavlovsky said on social media.

Despite Putin&#39;s campaign promises when he returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after four years as prime minister, his last term was marked by a fall in living standards and Russia&#39;s international isolation.

Boosted by a slavish media and foreign military adventures such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his approval rating remains sky-high and official polls suggest he will take almost 70 percent of the vote on March 18.

Putin unveiled the new arsenal earlier Thursday in a state of the nation address, challenging Washington to a new arms race ahead of a presidential election that will all but certainly confirm his grip on power.

The United States on Thursday accused Moscow of openly breaching Cold War-era treaties by developing what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a new generation of "invincible" hypersonic weapons and submarines. Putin unveiled the new arsenal earlier Thursday in a state of the nation address, challenging Washington to a new arms race ahead of a presidential election that will all but certainly confirm his grip on power. Putin left his usual Kremlin perch to this year speak from a nearby exhibition centre -- allowing him to show a series of video montages of missiles crossing mountains and oceans, heading over the Atlantic before striking the US eastern seaboard. He quoted a speech he gave in 2004, vowing that Russia would develop a new generation of weaponry, a promise that he said he has now fulfilled. "No one really wanted to talk to us basically. No one listened to us then. Listen to us now," Putin said, prompting a standing ovation from the audience of top officials, lawmakers and celebrities. He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its own nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons. 'Cheesy' attack video The State Department expressed outrage at Putin's presentation and his "cheesy" animated video of warheads over US soil -- and said the Russian leader had confirmed long-held allegations about his program. "It was certainly unfortunate to have watched the video animation that depicted a nuclear attack on the United States," spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. "That's something that we certainly didn't enjoy watching. We don't regard that as the behaviour of a responsible international player," she added. "President Putin has confirmed what the United States government has known for a long time but that Russia has denied prior to this," she added. "Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for more than a decade in direct violation of its treaty obligations." Specifically, Nauert said that Moscow had proven itself in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), through its development of ground-launched cruise missiles. The Pentagon reacted with more equanimity, with a spokesman insisting that the US military remains "fully prepared" to react to "anything that comes our way." The United States has long accused Russia of breaching the INF treaty and, while it is modernizing its own nuclear arsenal, says that it remains in compliance with the terms of the Cold War accord. The spat came as relations between the powers lie frozen at 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. Also Thursday, the US formally approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian-backed insurgency in the east of the country. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Ukraine has asked President Donald Trump's US administration for permission to buy 210 missiles and 37 launchers at a cost of around $47 million 'Fantastic' submarines In a speech that ran almost two hours, Putin showed tests of a new missile system that he said could fly at 20 times the speed of sound and manoeuvre up and down and is not owned by any other country. "This makes it absolutely invincible for any forms of air and missile defence," he boasted, calling it an "ideal weapon." Russia has also developed unmanned underwater devices that move much faster than submarines and torpedoes and can carry nuclear warheads, Putin said, adding: "It's just fantastic!" Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later said Russian arms would be able to "overcome all existing anti-missile systems" such as those the US intends to deploy in eastern Europe and South Korea. "This anti-missile 'umbrella' turns out to be a bit 'leaky'," he said in comments released by his ministry. Putin, who has led Russia for almost two decades and is seeking in the March 18 election a historic fourth Kremlin term that would extend his rule to 2024, also laid out a number of domestic measures in the speech. Putin has refused to take part in TV debates with other candidates, but the address suggested cutting poverty and improving the environment would be among the top goals of his expected new six-year term. - 'Unacceptable' poverty - The 65-year-old vowed to cut the country's "unacceptable" poverty rate in half over six years but said 22 million fewer Russians were now living below the poverty line than when he was first elected president. Putin, who coughed throughout the speech and was forced to pause to drink, was given an ecstatic reception in the hall during the televised address but some online comments were less complimentary. "The old man only perked up when he was talking about how he can destroy the world. A moment of truth!" former Kremlin advisor Gleb Pavlovsky said on social media. Despite Putin's campaign promises when he returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after four years as prime minister, his last term was marked by a fall in living standards and Russia's international isolation. Boosted by a slavish media and foreign military adventures such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his approval rating remains sky-high and official polls suggest he will take almost 70 percent of the vote on March 18.

US accuses Russia of breaching treaties with 'invincible' weapons

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PNB scam: Cannot confirm Nirav Modi is here, says US The United States government is aware of media reports that diamond jeweller Nirav Modi is in the country but is unable to confirm them, a State Department official said today. P Chidambaram tells son Karti: 'Don't worry, I'm there' "Don't worry, I am there," former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram reportedly told his son Karti who has been sent to 5-day police custody in connection with the INX Media money laundering case. Putin, before vote, unveils 'invincible' nuclear weapons to counter West President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons on Thursday, in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield. Khalistan terrorist 'fiasco' follows Trudeau back to Canada Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced persistent criticism Thursday over a convicted Sikh extremist's attendance at a Canadian event in Mumbai, nearly a week after the premier's return from a trip to India. For peace talks, Taliban must quit violence: US The Taliban needs to support the Afghan constitution and abandon terror and violence if it wants peace talks with the US, said Pentagon's Chief Spokesperson Dana White. White made the comment in reply to the Taliban's call for direct talks to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

WION Morning News Brief, March 2, 2018

President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons on Thursday, in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield.

Putin was speaking ahead of an election on March 18 that polls indicate he should win easily. He said a nuclear attack on any of Moscow&#39;s allies would be regarded as an attack on Russia itself and draw an immediate response.

It was unclear if he had a particular Russian ally, such as Syria, in mind, but his comments looked like a warning to Washington not to use tactical battlefield nuclear weapons.

His remarks were greeted with scepticism in Washington, where officials cast doubt on whether Russia has added any new capabilities to its nuclear arsenal beyond those already known to the U.S. military and intelligence agencies.

The Pentagon, which recently announced a nuclear policy revamp based partly on the bellicose posture from Moscow, said it was not surprised by Putin&#39;s presentation.

&quot;We&#39;ve been watching Russia for a long time. We&#39;re not surprised,&quot; Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said.

&quot;These weapons that are discussed have been in development a very long time,&quot; she told a news briefing, without addressing any of Putin&#39;s specific claims of new capabilities.

John Rood, U.S. under secretary of defense for policy, declined to comment on U.S. intelligence on Russian capabilities.

But, addressing a forum in Washington, Rood generally played down Putin&#39;s presentation, saying: &quot;I think it&#39;s broadly consistent with things that have been stated before (by) Russian officials.&quot;

The Trump administration accused Moscow anew of violating a Cold War-era treaty which banned nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500-5,500 km (300-3,400 miles).

&quot;President Putin has confirmed what the United States government has known all along, which Russia has denied: Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for over a decade in direct violations of its treaty obligations,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Putin has often used militaristic rhetoric to mobilise support and buttress his narrative that Russia is under siege from the West. His 2014 annexation of Ukraine&#39;s Crimea boosted his ratings to a record high and he has cast his military intervention in Syria as a proud moment for Moscow.

On Thursday, he sought to back his rhetoric with video clips of what he said were some of the new missiles. The images were projected onto a giant screen behind him at a conference hall in central Moscow where he was addressing Russia&#39;s political elite.

&quot;They have not succeeded in holding Russia back,&quot; said Putin, referring to the West, which he said had ignored Moscow in the past, but would now have to sit up and listen.

&quot;Now they need to take account of a new reality and understand that everything I have said today is not a bluff.&quot;

Among weapons that Putin said were either in development or ready was a new intercontinental ballistic missile &quot;with a practically unlimited range&quot; able to attack via the North and South Poles and bypass any missile defence systems.

Putin also spoke of a small nuclear-powered engine that could be fitted to what he said were low-flying, highly manoeuvrable cruise missiles, giving them a practically unlimited range.

The new engine meant Russia was able to make a new type of weapon - nuclear missiles powered by nuclear rather than conventional fuel.

&quot;Nothing like it in the world exists,&quot; Putin told the audience. &quot;At some point it will probably appear (elsewhere) but by that time our guys will have devised something else.&quot;

Other new super weapons he listed included underwater nuclear drones, a supersonic weapon and a laser weapon.

In one of his video clip demos, a weapon appeared to be hovering over what looked like a map of the state of Florida.

&quot;It was certainly unfortunate to have watched the video animation that depicted a nuclear attack on the United States,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a news briefing. &quot;We don&#39;t regard that as the behavior of a responsible international player.&quot;

Putin&#39;s audience, made up of Russian lawmakers and other leading figures, frequently stood up and applauded his presentation, which culminated with the Russian national anthem being played.

Earlier in the speech, he had struck a very different tone, ordering officials to halve the number of Russians living in poverty by sharply boosting social and infrastructure spending in an obvious pre-election pitch to voters.

NATO measures &#39;&#39;useless&quot;

Putin, who has dominated his country&#39;s political landscape for the last 18 years, said the technological advances meant that NATO&#39;s build-up on Russia&#39;s borders and the roll-out of a U.S. anti-missile system would be rendered useless.

&quot;I hope that everything that was said today will sober up any potential aggressor,&quot; said Putin.

&quot;Unfriendly steps towards Russia such as the deployment of the (U.S.) anti-missile system and of NATO infrastructure nearer our borders and such like, from a military point of view, will become ineffective.&quot;

Steps to contain Russia would also become unjustifiably expensive and pointless, he forecast.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement after the speech that the new weapons Putin had unveiled meant that NATO&#39;s missile defence shield, in Poland, Romania and Alaska and planned elements in South Korea and Japan was like an umbrella that was full of holes.

&quot;I don&#39;t know why they would now buy such an &#39;umbrella&#39;,&quot; Shoigu said, referring to Seoul and Tokyo.

NATO declined immediate comment.

The United States has long asserted that U.S. missile defenses are incapable of halting a large-scale attack by a major nuclear power, like Russia or China, due in part to the limited number of U.S. missile interceptors.

Instead, the technology is aimed at what the United States views as &quot;rogue&quot; states, such as Iran or North Korea.

&quot;They know very well that it&#39;s not about them. Our missile defense has never been about them,&quot; White said.

She added that the U.S. focus in addressing Russia&#39;s nuclear modernization was strengthening America&#39;s own nuclear forces to serve as a deterrent.

Lisbeth Gronlund, senior scientist and co-director of the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said Putin&#39;s announcement of a missile with a nuclear-powered engine, even if true, would change little when it came to the Russian threat since Russia already has large numbers of ICBMs.

Putin also voiced concerns about a new U.S. nuclear doctrine, saying Russia&#39;s own doctrine was defensive and only envisaged the use of nuclear weapons in response to an attack.

Russia has repeatedly said it is keen to hold talks with the United States about the balance of strategic nuclear power and Putin put Washington and other nuclear powers on notice.

&quot;We will view any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies, be it of small, medium or any force, as a nuclear attack on our country,&quot; he said.

&quot;Our response will be immediate. Nobody should have any doubts about that.&quot;

Putin said that Russia did not plan to attack anyone, however. Russia&#39;s growing military might was a guarantee of world peace, he said, designed to preserve a strategic balance of power on the planet.

Putin was speaking ahead of an election on March 18 that polls indicate he should win easily.

President Vladimir Putin announced an array of new nuclear weapons on Thursday, in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield. Putin was speaking ahead of an election on March 18 that polls indicate he should win easily. He said a nuclear attack on any of Moscow's allies would be regarded as an attack on Russia itself and draw an immediate response. It was unclear if he had a particular Russian ally, such as Syria, in mind, but his comments looked like a warning to Washington not to use tactical battlefield nuclear weapons. His remarks were greeted with scepticism in Washington, where officials cast doubt on whether Russia has added any new capabilities to its nuclear arsenal beyond those already known to the U.S. military and intelligence agencies. The Pentagon, which recently announced a nuclear policy revamp based partly on the bellicose posture from Moscow, said it was not surprised by Putin's presentation. "We've been watching Russia for a long time. We're not surprised," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said. "These weapons that are discussed have been in development a very long time," she told a news briefing, without addressing any of Putin's specific claims of new capabilities. John Rood, U.S. under secretary of defense for policy, declined to comment on U.S. intelligence on Russian capabilities. But, addressing a forum in Washington, Rood generally played down Putin's presentation, saying: "I think it's broadly consistent with things that have been stated before (by) Russian officials." The Trump administration accused Moscow anew of violating a Cold War-era treaty which banned nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500-5,500 km (300-3,400 miles). "President Putin has confirmed what the United States government has known all along, which Russia has denied: Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for over a decade in direct violations of its treaty obligations," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. Putin has often used militaristic rhetoric to mobilise support and buttress his narrative that Russia is under siege from the West. His 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea boosted his ratings to a record high and he has cast his military intervention in Syria as a proud moment for Moscow. On Thursday, he sought to back his rhetoric with video clips of what he said were some of the new missiles. The images were projected onto a giant screen behind him at a conference hall in central Moscow where he was addressing Russia's political elite. "They have not succeeded in holding Russia back," said Putin, referring to the West, which he said had ignored Moscow in the past, but would now have to sit up and listen. "Now they need to take account of a new reality and understand that everything I have said today is not a bluff." Among weapons that Putin said were either in development or ready was a new intercontinental ballistic missile "with a practically unlimited range" able to attack via the North and South Poles and bypass any missile defence systems. Putin also spoke of a small nuclear-powered engine that could be fitted to what he said were low-flying, highly manoeuvrable cruise missiles, giving them a practically unlimited range. The new engine meant Russia was able to make a new type of weapon - nuclear missiles powered by nuclear rather than conventional fuel. "Nothing like it in the world exists," Putin told the audience. "At some point it will probably appear (elsewhere) but by that time our guys will have devised something else." Other new super weapons he listed included underwater nuclear drones, a supersonic weapon and a laser weapon. In one of his video clip demos, a weapon appeared to be hovering over what looked like a map of the state of Florida. "It was certainly unfortunate to have watched the video animation that depicted a nuclear attack on the United States," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a news briefing. "We don't regard that as the behavior of a responsible international player." Putin's audience, made up of Russian lawmakers and other leading figures, frequently stood up and applauded his presentation, which culminated with the Russian national anthem being played. Earlier in the speech, he had struck a very different tone, ordering officials to halve the number of Russians living in poverty by sharply boosting social and infrastructure spending in an obvious pre-election pitch to voters. NATO measures ''useless" Putin, who has dominated his country's political landscape for the last 18 years, said the technological advances meant that NATO's build-up on Russia's borders and the roll-out of a U.S. anti-missile system would be rendered useless. "I hope that everything that was said today will sober up any potential aggressor," said Putin. "Unfriendly steps towards Russia such as the deployment of the (U.S.) anti-missile system and of NATO infrastructure nearer our borders and such like, from a military point of view, will become ineffective." Steps to contain Russia would also become unjustifiably expensive and pointless, he forecast. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement after the speech that the new weapons Putin had unveiled meant that NATO's missile defence shield, in Poland, Romania and Alaska and planned elements in South Korea and Japan was like an umbrella that was full of holes. "I don't know why they would now buy such an 'umbrella'," Shoigu said, referring to Seoul and Tokyo. NATO declined immediate comment. The United States has long asserted that U.S. missile defenses are incapable of halting a large-scale attack by a major nuclear power, like Russia or China, due in part to the limited number of U.S. missile interceptors. Instead, the technology is aimed at what the United States views as "rogue" states, such as Iran or North Korea. "They know very well that it's not about them. Our missile defense has never been about them," White said. She added that the U.S. focus in addressing Russia's nuclear modernization was strengthening America's own nuclear forces to serve as a deterrent. Lisbeth Gronlund, senior scientist and co-director of the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said Putin's announcement of a missile with a nuclear-powered engine, even if true, would change little when it came to the Russian threat since Russia already has large numbers of ICBMs. Putin also voiced concerns about a new U.S. nuclear doctrine, saying Russia's own doctrine was defensive and only envisaged the use of nuclear weapons in response to an attack. Russia has repeatedly said it is keen to hold talks with the United States about the balance of strategic nuclear power and Putin put Washington and other nuclear powers on notice. "We will view any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies, be it of small, medium or any force, as a nuclear attack on our country," he said. "Our response will be immediate. Nobody should have any doubts about that." Putin said that Russia did not plan to attack anyone, however. Russia's growing military might was a guarantee of world peace, he said, designed to preserve a strategic balance of power on the planet.

Putin, before vote, unveils 'invincible' nuclear weapons to counter West

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks on Sunday with Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin over implementing a UN ceasefire in Syria, France&#39;s presidency said, as new airstrikes pounded a rebel-held area.

The discussion, which was announced after the UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously demanded a 30-day truce, will centre on the &quot;implementation of this resolution and on the political roadmap needed to achieve lasting peace in Syria&quot;, it said.

More than 500 civilians are thought to have died in a week of heavy bombardment by Syria&#39;s regime of the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, just outside Damascus.

After the council vote, which had support from Moscow, Syrian warplanes backed by Russian air power launched new raids on Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp;

The Britain-based monitor said at least 41 civilians were killed in Saturday&#39;s strikes, including eight children. Russia has denied taking part in the assault.&nbsp;

France and Germany have pushed for Russian support for the Syria ceasefire, which is mainly to allow aid to reach the besieged area and allow evacuations.

In its statement France&#39;s presidency said the ceasefire was &quot;an essential first step&quot;, adding that it would be &quot;extremely vigilant&quot; over its implementation.&nbsp;

More than 500 civilians are thought to have died in a week of heavy bombardment by Syria's regime of the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, just outside Damascus

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks on Sunday with Russia's Vladimir Putin over implementing a UN ceasefire in Syria, France's presidency said, as new airstrikes pounded a rebel-held area. The discussion, which was announced after the UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously demanded a 30-day truce, will centre on the "implementation of this resolution and on the political roadmap needed to achieve lasting peace in Syria", it said. More than 500 civilians are thought to have died in a week of heavy bombardment by Syria's regime of the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, just outside Damascus. After the council vote, which had support from Moscow, Syrian warplanes backed by Russian air power launched new raids on Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor said at least 41 civilians were killed in Saturday's strikes, including eight children. Russia has denied taking part in the assault. France and Germany have pushed for Russian support for the Syria ceasefire, which is mainly to allow aid to reach the besieged area and allow evacuations. In its statement France's presidency said the ceasefire was "an essential first step", adding that it would be "extremely vigilant" over its implementation.

Macron, Merkel to talk Syria ceasefire plan with Putin

&nbsp;Russia, the Syrian regime&#39;s main backer, plans to help Damascus relaunch its energy industry which has been devastated by years of conflict, Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said.

&quot;We have signed a roadmap, not only in the field of electricity, but also oil and gas, covering the restoration of oil fields and the development of new deposits,&quot; Kovak was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies yesterday.

He did not name any Russian companies that may be involved.

As the main international backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime, Russia has committed itself to aiding in the country&#39;s reconstruction.

Last week an agreement was signed on the &quot;rehabilitation, modernisation and construction of new energy facilities in Syria&quot; Russia&#39;s energy ministry said on its website.

&quot;We attach great importance to restoring the Syrian economy, especially the oil and gas sectors which will certainly contribute to the normalisation of the economic and social situation in the country,&quot; said Novak.

In December a Russian business and political delegation visited Damascus to discuss investment and reconstruction with Assad, including oil and gas projects but also electricity, phosphates, transport and trade.

&quot;Syria is a land of unlimited riches,&quot; Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who led the delegation, said at the time.

&quot;Russian companies have the moral right to develop large-scale economic projects here,&quot; Rogozin said then.

Russia intervened in the Syrian conflict in September 2015 in support of Assad.

In December last year, President Vladimir Putin ordered the partial retreat of Russian troops from Syria.

'We have signed a roadmap, not only in the field of electricity but also oil and gas, covering the restoration of oil fields and the development of new deposits,' Alexander Novak

Russia, the Syrian regime's main backer, plans to help Damascus relaunch its energy industry which has been devastated by years of conflict, Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said. "We have signed a roadmap, not only in the field of electricity, but also oil and gas, covering the restoration of oil fields and the development of new deposits," Kovak was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies yesterday. He did not name any Russian companies that may be involved. As the main international backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, Russia has committed itself to aiding in the country's reconstruction. Last week an agreement was signed on the "rehabilitation, modernisation and construction of new energy facilities in Syria" Russia's energy ministry said on its website. "We attach great importance to restoring the Syrian economy, especially the oil and gas sectors which will certainly contribute to the normalisation of the economic and social situation in the country," said Novak. In December a Russian business and political delegation visited Damascus to discuss investment and reconstruction with Assad, including oil and gas projects but also electricity, phosphates, transport and trade. "Syria is a land of unlimited riches," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who led the delegation, said at the time. "Russian companies have the moral right to develop large-scale economic projects here," Rogozin said then. Russia intervened in the Syrian conflict in September 2015 in support of Assad. In December last year, President Vladimir Putin ordered the partial retreat of Russian troops from Syria.

Russia wants to help Syria relaunch oil production

Russian police raided the Moscow headquarters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Sunday after his supporters began a day of nationwide protests, calling for a boycott of what they said would be a rigged presidential election in March.

Police forced their way into Navalny`s office using power tools, citing reports of a bomb threat, an online feed run by Navalny`s supporters showed.

Navalny also wrote on Twitter that he has been detained soon after joining a rally in Moscow on Sunday.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Меня задержали. Это значения не имеет. Приходите на Тверскую. Вы не за меня выходите, а за себя и своё будущее.
&mdash; Alexey Navalny (@navalny) <a href="https://twitter.com/navalny/status/957578736001536000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Navalny has been barred from running in the March 18 election which polls show incumbent president Vladimir Putin is on track to easily win. Though Navalny says he knows Putin will be re-elected, his spoiler campaign is aimed at lowering voter turnout to try to take the shine off a Putin win.

Six of Navalny`s allies were detained during the police raid, OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said. It said they were among more than 60 people detained across Russia by 1300 Moscow time.&nbsp;

Police shut down a TV studio at Navalny`s office during the same raid which had been broadcasting online news bulletins, but another studio in a different location continued to operate.

In the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, just under 900 miles (1448.41 km) east of Moscow, around 1,000 protesters gathered in temperatures of nearly -10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) to back Navalny`s boycott call.

&quot;No election? No to elections,&quot; a placard being held by one young man read. Other protesters waved Russian flags or red and white placards calling for a boycott.

&quot;We don`t yet have the right to vote,&quot; Masha, 16, who declined to give her surname, told Reuters. &quot;But we need to think about the future and we want to live in a country where there will be honest elections.&quot;

Yevgeny Roizman, the city`s opposition-minded mayor, said he backed a boycott. &quot;When you see injustice and lies and you can`t change the situation you can at least not take part in it.&quot;

Navalny&#39;s supporters said they expected thousands of people to take part in similar demonstrations in 118 towns and cities.

&quot;Your own life is at stake,&quot; Navalny said in a pre-protest video. &quot;How many more years to do you want to live with these thieves, bigots and creeps?&quot;&nbsp;

It was unclear where Navalny was, but a group of police officers was stationed near his home. Navalny said he planned to attend the Moscow protest later on Sunday.&nbsp;

Possible violence

Police warned beforehand they would harshly suppress any illegal protest activity and authorities refused to authorise events in Moscow and St Petersburg, the country`s two biggest cities, raising the possibility of clashes.

A Reuters reporter saw a heavy police presence in central Moscow ahead of the protest, with a command centre and buses filled with policemen parked on side streets.&nbsp;

Navalny, a lawyer who has campaigned against official corruption, was barred from running for the presidency by the central election commission in December over what he said was a trumped-up suspended prison sentence.

The United States and the EU criticised the decision.

Putin, who has dominated the Russian political landscape for nearly two decades, described U.S. criticism of the election commission`s decision as crude interference in Russia`s internal affairs and suggested Navalny was Washington`s pick for the presidency.

Polls show Navalny had scant chance of beating Putin, but Navalny says the system is rigged against political opponents like himself which makes polls meaningless.

Police forced their way into Navalny`s office using power tools, citing reports of a bomb threat, an online feed run by Navalny's supporters showed

Russian police raided the Moscow headquarters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Sunday after his supporters began a day of nationwide protests, calling for a boycott of what they said would be a rigged presidential election in March. Police forced their way into Navalny`s office using power tools, citing reports of a bomb threat, an online feed run by Navalny`s supporters showed. Navalny also wrote on Twitter that he has been detained soon after joining a rally in Moscow on Sunday. Меня задержали. Это значения не имеет. Приходите на Тверскую. Вы не за меня выходите, а за себя и своё будущее. — Alexey Navalny (@navalny) January 28, 2018 × Navalny has been barred from running in the March 18 election which polls show incumbent president Vladimir Putin is on track to easily win. Though Navalny says he knows Putin will be re-elected, his spoiler campaign is aimed at lowering voter turnout to try to take the shine off a Putin win. Six of Navalny`s allies were detained during the police raid, OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said. It said they were among more than 60 people detained across Russia by 1300 Moscow time. Police shut down a TV studio at Navalny`s office during the same raid which had been broadcasting online news bulletins, but another studio in a different location continued to operate. In the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, just under 900 miles (1448.41 km) east of Moscow, around 1,000 protesters gathered in temperatures of nearly -10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) to back Navalny`s boycott call. "No election? No to elections," a placard being held by one young man read. Other protesters waved Russian flags or red and white placards calling for a boycott. "We don`t yet have the right to vote," Masha, 16, who declined to give her surname, told Reuters. "But we need to think about the future and we want to live in a country where there will be honest elections." Yevgeny Roizman, the city`s opposition-minded mayor, said he backed a boycott. "When you see injustice and lies and you can`t change the situation you can at least not take part in it." Navalny's supporters said they expected thousands of people to take part in similar demonstrations in 118 towns and cities. "Your own life is at stake," Navalny said in a pre-protest video. "How many more years to do you want to live with these thieves, bigots and creeps?" It was unclear where Navalny was, but a group of police officers was stationed near his home. Navalny said he planned to attend the Moscow protest later on Sunday. Possible violence Police warned beforehand they would harshly suppress any illegal protest activity and authorities refused to authorise events in Moscow and St Petersburg, the country`s two biggest cities, raising the possibility of clashes. A Reuters reporter saw a heavy police presence in central Moscow ahead of the protest, with a command centre and buses filled with policemen parked on side streets. Navalny, a lawyer who has campaigned against official corruption, was barred from running for the presidency by the central election commission in December over what he said was a trumped-up suspended prison sentence. The United States and the EU criticised the decision. Putin, who has dominated the Russian political landscape for nearly two decades, described U.S. criticism of the election commission`s decision as crude interference in Russia`s internal affairs and suggested Navalny was Washington`s pick for the presidency. Polls show Navalny had scant chance of beating Putin, but Navalny says the system is rigged against political opponents like himself which makes polls meaningless.

Russian opposition leader Navalny detained in Moscow

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