FRANCE 24 journalist Vladimir Smekhov was born in the Soviet Union. For the last 5 years, he has been closely following Russian politics. Fluent in Russian, English and French, he aims to share the insights into the riveting world of Russian politics with FRANCE 24’s audiences. Real time.
Fri, 03/02/2012 - 01:22

Russian press review - between rage and dispair

Three days before the election and the Russian media is torn between doom, gloom, resignation and barely veiled threats…. Read our media review to find out why.
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Tue, 02/28/2012 - 10:09

The Putin assassination plot – a well-timed revelation?

While few doubt the authenticity of the plot, some commentators are asking if the timing of the report’s release has anything to do with the election campaign.
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Tue, 02/28/2012 - 08:04

Prokhorov’s bid for presidency: will rapping his way to a non-existent political party bear fruit?

Have you ever been a member of a non-existent political party whose leader is a famous rap singer?
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Tue, 02/28/2012 - 07:50

Russian government to fight election fraud with comics

If you ever thought the Russian government would leave the fight with election fraud to opposition movements, you were wrong.
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Fri, 02/24/2012 - 13:22

Russia's “Paris Hilton" is finally rooting for Putin!

Russia’s most famous socialite and TV presenter Ksenya Sobchak, has abruptly decided to join the Putin supporters‘ roaster of celebrities, creating an online sensation. Here's why.
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Fri, 02/24/2012 - 12:46

Let’s talk about the “first time”…. (blog entry under parental guidance)

5 years after Obama’s revolutionary online campaign, the Russians are re-writing the manual on web campaigning! Here’s their recipe for getting 500 000 internet hits (and counting).
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Wed, 02/22/2012 - 15:40

Welcome to Russian Presidential Election Chronicles

On 4th March, Russians will be heading to the polls to elect a new President. Here's why we decided to live-blog the presidential campaign and the elections in real time.
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Wed, 02/22/2012 - 15:12

France 24's spotlight on Russia

Less than two weeks to go now to Russia’s presidential election and Vladimir Putin is not having everything his way. Robert Parsons, our International Affairs Editor, shares his analysis.
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Wed, 02/22/2012 - 14:28

Media Crackdown, Episode II

MTV Russia has cancelled "State Department", a weekly politics show presented by socialite and popular TV host Ksenya Sobchak, just hours before a prominent opposition leader was due to appear.
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Wed, 02/22/2012 - 14:07

Media Crackdown

If anybody had any doubts that the ruling regime’s steamroller is methodically “paving the motorway” to the 1st round victory of it’s champion in the upcoming elections, these doubts should be disappearing quickly.
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Wed, 02/22/2012 - 13:41

Putin’s “most dangerous rival”

The Russian Prime Minister has finally found an opponent worthy of putting up a true fight.
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Wed, 02/22/2012 - 10:02

Putin's "gladiators" or the art of "proxy campaigning"

Why fight your opponents when you have "gladiators"? Vladimir Putin has invented a new kind of political warfare: the “proxy debates”.
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Tue, 02/21/2012 - 18:35

A political song duel

Western political campaign managers create slogans. Russian political activists create music videos. Here comes "war of the titans".
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