Medvedev would be new Russian president

[Sergius]

Looks like Boyd Rice.

[drgs]

Originally Posted by Errigal

That's not a picture of a younger Medvedev is it?

Hmm, is it? When he was younger he was into powerlifting and used to collect Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin etc LPs =)

He baptized himself orthodox-christian in 1982.

We'll see....

[Sergius]

Originally Posted by drgs

Hmm, is it?

No.

It's Boyd Rice.

[Whiteruthenian]

Originally Posted by Faustas

No.

It's Boyd Rice.

Probably you are right. They look similar.

Sorry then. Misinformation was unintentional, I swear.

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Whiteruthenian

Probably you are right. They look similar.

Sorry then. Misinformation was unintentional, I swear.

He looks even more like Medvedev in this hugely silly video clip

+ YouTube Video

[Marcus Marulus]

Medvedev elected Russian president to succeed Putin

Staff

Kyodo World Service

Mar 03, 2008

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's favored successor, won the presidential election Sunday to succeed Putin, the central election board said early Monday.

Medvedev, 42, currently first deputy prime minister, will be the youngest Soviet or Russian leader since the end of World War II.

With 63 percent of the ballots counted, Medvedev has received 68.9 percent of the vote to lead all the other candidates, according to the election board.

He is expected to ask Putin, 55, to become prime minister, an offer Putin is likely to accept.

Medvedev faced three other challengers -- Gennady Zyuganov, 63, the head of the Communist Party, nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, 61, and Andrei Bogdanov, 38.

A total of around 109 million Russians were eligible to vote.

The election board said voter turnout was apparently around 67 percent, topping 64.39 percent in the previous 2004 presidential election.

In his election campaign, Medvedev said that he will follow policies pursued by Putin during his eight years as president. He has pledged he will promote a free economy with less government involvement and push for judicial independence.

Putin remains popular among the Russian public for his achievements, including presiding over rapid economic expansion amid soaring energy prices.

Putin must retire as president in May when his second four-year term expires. Russia's Constitution prohibits a person from serving as president for three consecutive terms.

Source: Kyodo World Service

[source]

[Marcus Marulus]

How Medvedev differs from Putin

How Medvedev Differs From Putin

The Associated Press

AP News

Mar 02, 2008 18:04 EST

BACKGROUND: Both Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin studied law in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. But while Putin went on to serve in the KGB, Medvedev stayed at the university to teach. He also has experience working in private business, which Putin lacks.

STYLE: In comparison with Putin, Medvedev appears mild-mannered and reserved. While Putin often turns to salty street language to make a point, Medvedev's language is more bookish — although he has begun to imitate Putin's speech patterns in an apparent attempt to sound more forceful and presidential.

POLICY: Putin's KGB roots have bolstered his image as a steely leader whose bottom-line concern is Russia's security and strength. Medvedev's more purely legal background has found an outlet in his emphasis on the need for the rule of law and independent courts. Medvedev has focused on promoting business and improving social welfare. He has only recently made his first public statements on Russia's foreign policy and has not strayed from Putin's line.

Source: AP News

[source]

[Marcus Marulus]

Medvedev claims foreign policy for his own

dpa - International News Service in English

Mar 02, 2008 18:32 EST

Moscow (dpa) - Russia's next president, Dmitry Medvedev, staked his authority over Russia's foreign policy on Sunday, answering burning questions about how he would divide power with his mentor Vladimir Putin, who has promised to become prime minsiter.

"It's quite simple. In short the constitution leaves the president in charge of foreign policy," Medvedev said in his first meeting with reporters after news of his win in Sunday elections.

He said he would assert "Russia's independence in foreign politics and Russia's right to protect its interests," in his strongest foreign policy statement since the beginning of a campaign built on domestic issues.
Medvedev also said his first visit as president would be to the Commonwealth of Independent States, as the former republics of the USSR are known, because they were a priority in Russia's foreign policy.

dpa adc aw

Source: dpa - International News Service in English

[source]