Outside the Beltway

Report: Putin To Run For Russian Presidency Again

Doug Mataconis · Monday, May 23, 2011 · 1 comment

It looks like Vladmir Putin is finished sitting on the sidelines:

RUSSIAN Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has decided to run for the presidency next year, raising the possibility of a power struggle with his protege Dmitry Medvedev, the incumbent Kremlin leader, say highly placed sources.

The once-close relationship between Mr Putin, the tough-talking former KGB officer who has inspired a personality cult, and Mr Medvedev, a softly spoken Twitter enthusiast, has become increasingly fractious amid speculation in Moscow that the younger man wishes to stand again.

Insiders familiar with both leaders said Mr Putin, who served eight years as president before becoming Prime Minister three years ago, had begun to lose confidence in Mr Medvedev’s loyalty.

Under the constitution, Mr Putin’s move to reclaim the presidency could see him rule for two consecutive six-year terms until 2024, when he will be 72. If so, he would have served as prime minister or president for 24 years in all.

The sources said recent criticism by Mr Medvedev had made Mr Putin suspicious. “Putin will run for president. He’s made up his mind for good. Rumours that he’s still weighing his options are false,” said one source.

“There’s mounting tension between Medvedev and Putin. The view in Putin’s camp is that Medvedev has started behaving with too much arrogance and wants to challenge him. Putin is starting to doubt his loyalty.”

I can’t say this is surprising, although the added drama of a Putin v. Medvedev race could be interesting to watch from the sidelines.