Thousands of Russians have linked hands around Moscow in a protest against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's expected return to the Kremlin.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin today warned against the dangers of foreign influence at a campaign rally attended by tens of thousands of people.

Tens of thousands of people are marching along the Moscow River to take part in a campaign rally in support of Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin.

Prime minister Vladimir Putin says Russia must replace its Soviet-built arsenals with modern weapons to counter new evolving threats.

Syria's President Bashar Assad appears to be pouring reinforcements into the battle against his opponents in Syria.

Thousands of Russians have taken to the streets of Moscow to demand an end to prime minister Vladimir Putin’s rule, challenging his bid to reclaim the presidency in March.

Thousands of Russians are taking to the streets of Moscow to demand an end to prime minister Vladimir Putin’s rule, challenging his bid to reclaim the presidency in March.

Thousands of cars flying white ribbons or white balloons have circled central Moscow in a protest against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has urged the government to listen to protesters demanding free elections.

Mikhail Gorbachev, who resigned as Soviet president 20 years ago, has urged Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin to follow his example and step down.

Tens of thousands demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital today in another massive protest against election fraud, signalling a growing outrage with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s 12-year rule.

Thousands took to the streets of Moscow and St Petersburg today, braving strong winds and torrential rain for a second week of protests over Russia's fraud-tainted parliamentary vote.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the organisers of massive protests against vote fraud of working to weaken Russia on orders from the West and rejected calls for a rerun of the election.

ONE of Russia’s richest tycoons and the owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team, Mikhail Prokhorov said he will run against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the March presidential election.

PRESIDENT Dmitry Medvedev ordered an investigation yesterday into allegations of fraud in Russia’s parliamentary election, one day after tens of thousands of protesters demanded it be annulled and rerun.

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered in central Moscow to demonstrate against alleged voting fraud and Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, in the largest public show of discontent since the end of the Soviet Union.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin today accused US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of encouraging and supporting the election protesters and warned of a wider Russian crackdown on unrest.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin today accused US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of encouraging and supporting the election protesters and warned of a wider Russian crackdown on unrest.

Demonstrators trying to hold a second day of protests against vote fraud in Russia’s parliamentary elections have clashed with police in Moscow.

The United States has “serious concerns” about the conduct of Russia’s parliamentary elections, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today.

Prime minister Vladimir Putin’s party struggled to hang onto its majority in Russia’s parliamentary election, results showed today, suggesting Russians were wearying of the man who has dominated Russian politics for more than a decade.

Exit polls cited by Russian state television are showing Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s party tallying less than 50% of the vote in Russia’s parliamentary election.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been formally nominated by the ruling United Russia party to run for president in next March’s election.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has proposed forming a "Eurasian Union" of former Soviet nations, saying the bloc could become a major global player competing for influence with the US, the European Union and Asia.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has joined tens of thousands of people attending a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Russian plane crash that devastated a top ice hockey team.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has criticised the government for taking Russia backward and said the nation needs free elections and a fresh leadership.

RUSSIAN authorities have foiled a plot by militants who were building fertiliser bombs in a suburban apartment and planning to attack a bullet train between Moscow and St Petersburg, a newspaper reported.

TWO young women stripped down to bikinis in central Moscow yesterday to express support for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, in the latest exposure of bare flesh ahead of 2012 polls.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has hit out at the Nato-led air strikes in Libya, saying attacks on Muammar Gaddafi’s palaces indicate the aim is to kill the Libyan leader.

Paul Taylor reports from Paris on the problem with NATO taking the lead on Libya

RUSSIAN Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said a UN resolution authorising military action in Libya resembled “medieval calls for crusades” after Western forces launched a second wave of air strikes.

Sharp divisions prevented Nato from adopting a plan for military airstrikes against Libya today, with Turkish opposition blocking the alliance from approving a strategy.

RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev decorated Mikhail Gorbachev with the highest state honour yesterday in a rare recognition for the last Soviet leader, who is often ignored at home.

FORMER Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev yesterday described Russia as an imitation of democracy and accused its rulers of conceit and contempt for voters, in his harshest criticism of the government yet.

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi stayed cool in the face of charges that could end his political career, saying he was not worried about his impending prostitution trial or calls for his resignation.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has urged government ministers to holiday in France after his own prime minister was criticised for taking a family holiday paid for by Egypt’s government.

ABOUT 500 people demonstrated in a Moscow square yesterday to demand the ousting of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his “rule of thieves”.

About 500 people demonstrated in a central Moscow square today to demand the removal of prime minister Vladimir Putin and his “rule of thieves”.

Russian Prime minister Vladimir Putin today vowed: “Retribution is inevitable” over the Moscow airport suicide bombing.

Russia's secret services have abandoned the Soviet-era practice of killing traitors, says Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Violent clashes outside the Kremlin have highlighted the need to strengthen law and order, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said today.

FACEBOOK founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2010.

Hundreds of people protested today against the Russian government at two separate rallies in Moscow, with opposition activists calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and nationalists demanding greater rights for ethnic Russians.