Russia’s Kremlin race: Dmitry Medvedev v Vladimir Putin

In May 2011, with just 10 months to go before Russia's next presidential elections, the general public and analysts were still in the dark about who will be running. Will incumbent leader Dmitry Medvedev seek a second term? Or is his predecessor and mentor Vladimir Putin planning a return? Might they even run against each other?

Here, the BBC's Moscow correspondents Daniel Sandford and Steve Rosenberg look at how each of the potential candidates may be charting his path to the Kremlin seat, and whether the political 'tandem' is breaking down.

Russia Now, 18.5.11: Russian election season opens with Medvedev press conference http://rbth.ru/articles/2011/05/18/russian_election_season_opens_as_medvedev_gives_huge_press_conferenc_12894.html

ESO: Background information: Russia: Shades of difference http://www.europeansources.info/record/analysis-russia-shades-of-difference/

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