Look closely at this picture. These railway tracks are in use. And yet, they've been covered with tarmac. Why? So that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev would have a smoother ride on his visit to town. Read more...

Why was Saturday's opposition rally in Moscow strikingly different from previous events? Because not one protestor was beaten or arrested. Even stranger - pro-Kremlin counter activists themselves were detained by the police. Which beggars the question; is the Russian government warming to the idea of freedom of speech? Read more and see the images...

The Western press reacted cynically to the inauguration of Russia's new president, Dmitry Medvedev, who has been considered a puppet of outgoing president - and now Prime Minister - Vladimir Putin since being elected in March. However, a political analyst in the country and harsh critic of the ruling party, tells us why the idea is entirely speculative. Read more...

Dimitri Medvedev was inaugurated as Russia's new president today. Evguenia Obitchkina, an international relations lecturer in Moscow, explains that the conflict between Russia and the West might have more to do with the hydrocarbon trade than human rights. Read more...

Vote-rigging, banning candidates and censorship are all part of a traditional Russian election, according to many of the country’s bloggers. But this year, despite a clear front-runner, tales of even more ingenious methods are emerging on the blogosphere. Caught vote-rigging red handed? Just scream “terrorist”. Read more…

Russian tabloid Express Gazeta organized a drawing competition all across Russia to support President Valdimir Putin's successor, Dmitry Medvedev. These drawings, published three days before the presidential election, are strangely reminiscent of personality cults from the Soviet era. See the other drawings.

"Dmitry Anatolyevich is a worthy successor" by Valeriya Emelchenkova, 10, Chelyabinsk region. Medvedev is lifting weights that are labelled "housing", "children", "school", "village", "nature", and "sport".

Questioned Tuesday about the name of Putin’s successor in a televised debate with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton faltered to pronounce the name. “Med erm, Medeved… Meded-deva… whatever…” Russian Blogger Alexander Kireev was not impressed. Read more…

Images from MSNBC. Posted 26 Feb. 08