Putin's Power Entrenchment Has Begun

Russian President Vladimir Putin isn't wasting any time capitalizing on his electoral victory.

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Welcome Back, Putin

Here's something to think about: Vladimir Putin was sworn into office today, and if the Russian President completes his six-year term, he'll be Russia's longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin.  

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Russians Clash with Police on Eve of Putin's Inauguration

Between 20,000 and 100,000 people, depending on the report, clashed with police in Moscow on Sunday to protest Vladimir Putin's upcoming presidential inauguration. 

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Mitt Romney Starts a War of Words with Russia

Mitt Romney has lots of great selling points -- his business experience, his success as Massachusetts Governor -- but there's one thing President Obama very clearly has on him: foreign policy experience.

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Obama Took His Sweet Time to Congratulate Putin

While flying in Air Force One over Virginia this morning, President Obama finally made a phone call he'd been putting off all week to Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his dubious presidential win in Russia, well after many of his Western counterparts had done so.

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How Putin Tipped the Scales of the Russian Election

It's becoming difficult to keep track of the many complaints of election fraud following Vladimir Putin's overwhelming victory on Sunday in Russia's presidential election.

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Russian Streets Quiet (So Far) as Complaints About Voting Mount

Complaints about fraud and voting irregularities are growing following Vladimir Putin's re-election, but it remains to be seen if protests or demonstrations will have any impact the results or the future of Russia. 

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Putin Coasts to Easy Victory as Protesters Mobilize

Exit polling indicates that Vladimir Putin has prevailed in the Russian presidential election -- and things could get ugly.

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Putin Panders to Virgins; Mugabe Eats a Croc Cake; Kim Jong-Il's Gold Coins

With an upcoming election in Russia, the 88th birthday of Robert Mugabe and an Iranian triumph over an Israeli filmmaker, it's been a busy day in propaganda for the world's authoritarian regimes.

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Russians Say They Uncovered Plot to Assassinate Vladimir Putin

Russian and Ukranian intelligence officials claim that two men arrested earlier this month were planning a series of terrorist attacks on Moscow, including one meant to target Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

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Some Attendees Were Paid to Rally in Support of Putin

Though reports of the 130,000-strong pro-Putin rally in a Moscow soccer stadium today make it sound like the once-and-future president has the support of all of Russia, the fact tht many of the attendees were coerced into attending suggests otherwise.

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Vladimir Putin's Bobsled Run of Shame; Sarah Palin Bought A Shirt We Liked

Every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the video clips that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention.

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Putin's Scary Russian Canon; Literature's Fanciest and Least Practical Homes

Today in books: Amazon Publishing strikes a licensing deal with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Vladimir Putin wants Russia to have a canon to call its own, and the beautiful, impractical, and gaudy homes of successful authors.

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Vladimir Putin Meets the Web's Commenters

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Thousands More Protest Against the Kremlin

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Moscow, some chanting "Russia without Putin," weeks after parliamentary elections that were marked by allegations of fraud.

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Thomas Jane, Mayan Ruins, and a Very Teamster Christmas

After a long day spent staring at Twitter, we're sharing our favorite tweets that made no sense.

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Vladimir Putin Congratulates Himself on Inspiring His Opposition

Need more signs of just how bad things are going for Vladimir Putin? The Russian Prime Minister is now happily (bizarrely?) taking credit for shaping those massive anti-government protests.

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Putin's Party Throws Protesters a Bone with an Official's Resignation

Though it probably won't appease the tens of thousands of protesters who took to Moscow's streets to chant "Russia Without Putin,' Russia today is without one of the prime minister's long-time allies, Boris Gryzlov, who announced his resignation today.

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That Pro-Putin Rally Was Probably Fake

From the official numbers and down to the individual protesters, reports are surfacing that yesterday's 25,000-person strong Pro-Putin rally in Moscow was really all a sham.

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Meet the Russians Taking on Putin for the Presidency

It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it. 

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