"Russia Without Putin"

So it's settled, then. As though there had been any doubt to the outcome. Nor the likelihood of the election process being tainted by manipulation and corruption. Hosanna! Vladimir Putin once again becomes President of Russia. And his trusty partner simply does a little musical chairs performance to take up the Prime Minister position again. All's fair in politics and war. And for Russia there's been plenty of both.

Just consider how dreadfully inept and incorrigibly stupidly awkward a president Boris Yeltsin was, what a drunken embarrassment to Russia in its time of need, he represented. The best thing he ever did was bring along a young unknown former KGB agent to take his place, and draw Russia out of its state of misery and penury. But not before selling off huge state assets for a song, and creating a powerfully wealthy oligarchy.

Vladimir Putin managed to restore law and order, and regularity to the country, inviting foreign investment and creating an atmosphere of hope to advance into the future. Under him, Russia pulled itself into prosperity and a large middle class arose out of the poverty they were mired in. He fought the Chechen terrorist threat to Russia as well as Georgian audacity, restoring pride to the Russian paternalism mentality, that the state will look after their interests.

But he was also mired in controversy, none more dreadful than the fate of those who criticized him, most notably Russian reporters who wrote disparagingly of his autocratic style of governing, and his orders to Russian troops in rebellious Chechnya. The deaths of reporters all of which he disclaimed responsibility for, were certainly laid at his doorstep.

His arrogance in building for himself a huge, costly mansion on the Black Sea.

Vladimir Putin presided over Russia in its transition from a weak, stumbling country post-dissolution of the USSR, when everyone thought that capitalism would rescue the country from poverty. What finally rescued Russia from poverty was the discovery of its huge oil deposits, returning wealth to the country and restoring the peoples' pride in the strength of their future prospects.

Now, the very generation that most prospered under Putin's reign, are chafing at his continued determination to lead the country. It is the urbane, educated and prosperous dwellers of Moscow (40%) and other cities (20%) that would like to see Mr. Putin depart the scene, and give over to someone else who could lead the country as a true democracy. It is the huge rural constituency that supports Mr. Putin.

These are the people, the middle class who demand that Vladimir Putin's 'imitation democracy' come to an end, who protested in the streets, and formed a huge human chain of those who wish him to depart. They bemoan the fact that they have not yet formed an organized political party to challenge the country to vote in their favour and bring Russia into a new dimension of democratic rule.

They protest the corruption prevailing in the country, where in particular Putin's former KGB colleagues are now immensely wealthy and control huge portions of the country's industries, most notably oil. Theirs they call a "peaceful revolution", holding up banners proclaiming their goal: "Russia Without Putin".

They are the young and the forward-looking who now act in unison. For them the acquisition of real estate, cars, cellphones, computers and other consumer goods are not enough. They want to help bring along a government that more closely expresses their ideals of democratic responsibility and honesty.

Above all, they are furious that Vladimir Putin openly flaunted his agreement with Dmitry Medvedev to exchange executive positions.

"Russia now faces a momentous political crisis. the abuses of the Putin regime are so fundamental that without profound change, the protest movement is unlikely to be stopped. Putin, however, is unlikely to agree to reforms that would threaten his hold on power. The stage is, therefore, set for a protracted conflict." David Satter, Foreign Policy Research Institute