Sports Calendar

Opponents noted at the time that local administrators were under pressure to deliver a two-thirds majority for United Russia but there was no mention of any plan to reform the Constitution. International observers condemned the election as undemocratic.

Sceptics have questioned whether Mr Medvedev, a law professor, would go along with such blatant manipulation of the Constitution and the electorate.

The Kremlin official told Vedomosti that Mr Putin considered it unethical to change the Constitution in office. The reform of Mr Medvedev, however, would create a pretext for him to resign, claiming the need for voters to endorse it.

Mr Putin would then regain the presidency in a way that appeared to uphold the Constitution. Since he remains popular, most Russians would be happy to endorse his return.

Mr Putin may be impatient to take charge again because of the global economic crisis. His popularity, which was boosted by soaring oil and gas revenues during his presidency, could fall if he is still Prime Minister in a period of rising unemployment and shrinking incomes.

By engineering his return to the Kremlin, however, Mr Putin will strengthen criticism that Russia is sliding into dictatorship.

AIMING FOR THE TOP

1985-90 Vladimir Putin was KGB agent in East Germany

1994 Deputy mayor of St Petersburg

1997 Deputy of presidential administration

1998 Head of Federal Security Service

1999 Secretary of Security Council

2000 Elected President

2004 Reelected in landslide election

2008 Becomes Prime Minister

Source: Times archives

Times Recommends

• Henning Mankell: ‘If Wallander was alive, I wouldn’t be a friend of his’
• Secret society's skull and crossbones for sale
• Nigerian leader vanishes after medical treatment