Vladimir Putin's Public Image
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is expected to win presidential elections on March 4. This would return him to the office he occupied from 1999 to 2008. After serving two terms, Mr. Putin stepped down and chose Dmitry Medvedev as his successor. In September 2011, Mr. Medvedev said he would not seek a second term and Mr. Putin would run instead. Mr. Putin is the favorite in the upcoming election, in part due to the personal appeal he has cultivated in media appearances and photo opportunities.
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Riding a horse in Tuva, southern Siberia, August 3, 2009. (Reuters)
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Visiting the Sellger 2011 International Youth Forum. (Photo: premier.gov.ru)
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Putin attends a judo training session in St. Petersburg, December 18, 2009. (Reuters)
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Putin on a climbing wall during his visit to the pro-Kremlin youth group "Nashi" at lake Seliger, Russia, August 1, 2011. (Reuters)