The only real qualification needed for any Russian leader is the ability to rattle your sabre and puff out your chest every now and then in order to make Russia look more important than they actually are.

The cold war is over, the Russians lost. End of Story. Get back in line and carry on doing as you are told and we will keep buying your oil and gas to line the pockets of your elite.

J Roberts, Manchester, UK

I'm going to stand in the next Russian election.
My policy is simple.
Bicycles and dancing.
We should dance, dance, dance!
When we have danced, rested and prepared, we may, as a democratic right, choose to ride bicycles to another place in which to dance.
Thankyou.

Keith Murray, Brighton, European Russia, to be renamed, Funky Kirov!

Putin's Putinism is not pure gold. But to change that system, including Putin, against the crazy systems in the USA under Bush and his criminal Think-tanks, would bring Russia down to hell. Neo-liberalists under spell of Chicago Boys brought Russia to the edge of bankruptcy, all wealth being stolen by Oligarchs. Putin may correct this self-destructing error.

Watching Russian elections from this side, Putin is still better than the US governed opponents of former times... What the hell was so good in Ukraine in Orange?

Delavy, Berlin, Germany

Oleg, you probably don't know what is going on in Russia. Putin haven't brought anything good to this country. Don't say about prosperity looking at the part of the population - some fat idiots living in Moscow and St. Pete but go beyond Moscow Circle Road and look at starving older population or young people who can't find a decent job in the regions of Russia - e.g. Siberia. When I studied and lived in the UK I thought a bit the same way as you do but after return I understand that the country is on the wrong way. Putin and his friends just do a show and we are all spectators in this disgusting theater unfortunately.

JB, Siberia,

Three words: Putin is right. Russia doesn't want to have another "colour revolution" sponsored by the West, the same way no Western country wants a "colour revolution" sponsored by Russia. Thinking otherwise leads to double standards. Please look at Georgia, it's on the brink of dictatorship with police beating up demonstrators and shutting down opposition TV stations. Look at Ukraine, the country is in chaos, its president is busy re-writing history, but totally ignoring the present problems with potential muslim uprising in Crimea and another economy crisis around the corner.
As well Russia needs to get rid of the possibility of the repeat of Yeltsin years. People don't want thier savings wiped out again and they don't want to be on the verge of starvation. They want prosperity and Puting has delivered it. I hope that one day US population will be taken through the same ordeal, may be than USA will learn to work with Russia and not against it.

Oleg, Toronto, Canada

No. He's turned out as some of us expected.

Frank Williams, Prague,

Putin hasn't turned out as we hoped has he.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA