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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will be running for President again. The current President, Medvedev, will run for Prime Minister - trading roles. This political horsetrading benefits only a small elite of political functionaries and oligarchs, who don't have to fear much of a change of the current situation. And the mood among the rural population, which supported Putin up until now, doesn't seem to have changed either. He has often promised a flourishing Russia and entranced villagers with the hope of an improvement in their harsh living conditions. However not much has changed in reality and Putin's image as a mover and shaker remains untarnished.