Russian police beauty wins Miss Universe

The Russian woman who has been crowned Miss Universe is part of the long leg of the law - she's a policewoman.

Oxana Fedorova's victory in Puerto Rico has led nationwide news bulletins throughout Russia.

It provides the latest stir for St Petersburg, the home town of President Vladimir Putin, just days after it had a visit by US President George Bush.

Russian media reported that Putin expressed his approval of the glamorous police lieutenant.

After graduating from a police academy in the northwestern Russian city of Pskov, she worked as an investigator and is now seeking a graduate degree at the St Petersburg Police Academy in civil law.

Miss Fedorova will take home prizes worth about €265,000 in addition to promotional contracts and a two year scholarship to The School for Film and Television in New York.

She has said she wants to get involved in children's causes and clean up the environment in the Baltic Sea region.