...Second President of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Because of constitutionally mandated term limits he is the current Prime Minister of Russia. His sock puppet, Dmitry Medvedev, was installed in the 2008 presidential elections. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law. During his eight years in office Russia's economy bounced back from crisis, seeing GDP increase, poverty decrease and average monthly salaries increase. During his presidency Putin passed into law a series of fundamental reforms, including a flat income tax of 13%, a reduced profits tax, and new land and legal codes. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile...may join a mass campaign rally that plans to draw 200,000 people on to the streets of Moscow 10 days before next month's presidential polls, his front man said Thursday.
Putin's campaign deputy chief Alexei Anisimov said authorities will bus up to 200,000 Putin supporters from the provinces to Moscow.
From there, they will march through the city center and rally near the Kremlin walls on February 23, when Russia marks Defender of the Fatherland Day.
"We've received this request from the regions," Anisimov told AFP. "The main slogan of the rally will be 'We'll Defend our Fatherland'".
Putin's chief front man said the Russian premier may himself attend the event, although no firm plans had yet been set.
"It cannot be ruled out that he will take part," front man Dmitry Peskov told AFP by telephone.