New web addresses suggest Putin may run for Russian presidency in 2012
By APFriday, September 17, 2010
Web sites hint at possible Putin presidential bid
MOSCOW — A Russian state agency has registered two Web address appearing to signal Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s intentions to reclaim the presidency in the 2012 election.
The online database of state register Reg.ru shows that the Federal Bodyguard Service in late August registered two Cyrillic-script addresses, Putin-2012.rf and Putin2012.rf.
The agency, which is responsible for protecting top officials, did not register a similar address with the name of President Dmitry Medvedev.
Putin served two presidential terms in 2000-2008 and shifted into the premier’s seat after his hand-picked successor, Medvedev, was elected. He is widely believed to continue calling the shots.
Putin and Medvedev both have said they would discuss later who would run for president in 2012 and emphasized they wouldn’t challenge one another.
