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Russia
Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin died in April
2007.
Crumbling Relations with the United States The
International Olympic Committee announced in July 2007
that Sochi, Russia, a Black Sea resort, will host the
Winter Games in 2014. It will be the first time Russia
or the former Soviet Union hosts the Winter Games.
In
July 2007, President Putin announced that Russia will
suspend the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe treaty,
which limits conventional weapons in Europe. Several
U.S. officials speculated that Putin was acting in
response to U.S. plans to build a missile shield in
Europe―a move stongly opposed by Russia. The move
provided further evidence of deteriorating relations
between the United States and Russia.
In
September, Putin nominated Viktor Zubkov, a close ally,
as prime minister. The Duma, the lower house of
Parliament, confirmed the nomination.
Putin Retains Power
Putin announced in October that he would head the list
of candidates on the United Russia ticket, the country's
leading political party. Such a move would pave the way
for Putin to become prime minister, and thus allow him
to retain power. In December parliamentary elections,
United Russia won in a landslide, taking 64.1% of the
vote, far ahead of the Communist Party of Russia, which
took 11.6%. Opposition parties complained that the
election was rigged, and European monitors said the vote
wasn't fair. Putin used his sway over the media to
stifle the opposition and campaign for United Russia,
making the election a referendum on his popularity.
Opposition leader and former chess champion Garry
Kasparov said the election was "the most unfair and
dirtiest in the whole history of modern Russia."
In
December, Putin endorsed Dmitri Medvedev in the
presidential election scheduled for March 2008. A Putin
loyalist who is said to be moderate and pro-Western,
Medvedev is a first deputy prime minister and the
chairman of Gazprom, the country's oil monopoly. He has
never worked in intelligence or security agencies,
unlike Putin and many members of his administration.
Medvedev said that if elected, he would appoint Putin as
prime minister.
Medvedev won the March 2008 presidential election with
67% of the vote. Putin said he would serve as Medvedev's
prime minister and indicated that he will increase the
responsibilities of the position. Although Medvedev
vowed to restore stability to Russia after the 1990s
turmoil, significant change in the government is not
expected.
On
April 15, 2008, Putin was chosen as chairman of the
United Russia party and agreed to become prime minister
when Dmitri Medvedev assumes the presidency in May.
On
May 6, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in as president,
and Putin became prime minister days later. Although
Medvedev assumed the presidency, Putin clearly remained
in control of the government and signaled that the
premiership would gain broad authority. In assembling a
cabinet, Putin called on several members of his former
administration.
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