THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vladimir Putin has dispelled months of speculation and confirmed he will return to the Russian presidency next year in a move that cements his already vice-like grip on the world’s largest country.
In a glitzy appearance before thousands of cheering supporters in a Soviet-era football stadium in Moscow, Mr Putin, currently the prime minister, accepted a stage-managed proposal from Dmitry Medvedev, the current president, to run for the presidency on a ticket for the ruling United Russia party in March next year.
"I want to thank you for the positive reaction to the proposal for me to stand for Russian president," said Mr Putin, beaming broadly to loud applause. "For me this is a great honour."
The decision means that Mr Putin, 58, is certain to become the next president of Russia in 2012 as the country remains a de facto one party state, with United Russia controlling the state media and all the key levers of power.
Mr Putin told his followers what Russia watchers had long suspected: that the two men had long ago cut a deal to allow Mr Putin to return to the presidency in 2012 after he was forced to stand down in 2008 on a technicality.
"I would like to say directly that the agreement about what should be done, what we should be doing (was) reached a long time ago, several years ago," Putin said. » | Andrew Osborn, Moscow | Saturday, September 24, 2011
