Refusing to budge

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has once more bluntly rejected demands by protesters for a review of recent election results.

"The elections are over. The parliament has started its work and a speaker is elected. The State Duma is working ... There can be not talks of any review," Putin said in comments to his All-Russian Popular Front, an organization of supporters, which were carried by state television.

They come three days after protesters staged their biggest demonstration to date against Putin's 12-year grip on power in Russia.

Tens of thousands of people rallied in central Moscow on Saturday in a protest that was directly aimed at Putin himself.

Putin criticized the demonstrators, saying they had "no united program, clear ways of reaching their aims - which are themselves not clear - or people who could achieve something concrete."

"No tricks"

He said, however, that any "insinuations" of fraud at the December 4 parliamentary elections - which were won with a slight majority by his ruling United Russia party - should be lifted.

He added that he needed no tricks as a candidate, saying he wanted "to have the will of the people and their trust. Without that there is no point in working."

The 59-year-old Putin, who has been prime minister for four years, is to stand for a historic third term as president at March 4 elections. He already served as president for two terms from 2000-2008.

Putin rival

One of the main leaders of the anti-Putin movement, Alexei Navalny, has meanwhile said he would be prepared to challenge Putin in the future if there were to be fair elections.

Navalny, an anti-corruption lawyer, told Moscow Echo radio that he was prepared to "fight for leading positions, including in the presidential vote" but that the March 4 vote would "be illegitimate no matter what happens."

He can no longer register for the presidential ballot because the deadline expired earlier this month.

Reshuffle of advisors

In another development, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has named Vladislav Surkov, until now Kremlin first deputy chief of staff, as deputy prime minister.

Surkov is credited with designing Russia's political system following the fall of the Soviet Union. He first entered the Kremlin in 1999 during the rule of Boris Yeltsin, and then worked under Putin and Medvedev.

He has now been tasked with modernizing the country's economy.

Surkov has been replaced in his former position by the deputy prime minister up to now, Vyacheslav Volodin.

Author: Timothy Jones (AFP, AP, Reuters)
Editor: Matt Zuvela