Putin warns the West not to interfere in Russian elections

Prime minister Vladimir Putin sternly warned the West not to interfere in Russia’s elections, as he launched his campaign to reclaim the presidency in a speech yesterday before thousands of flag-waving supporters.

Mr Putin stepped down in 2008 after two presidential terms, but kept his hold on power. He announced in September that he intended to return to the top job next year and was formally nominated yesterday by his United Russia party.

“All our foreign partners need to understand this: Russia is a democratic country, it’s a reliable and predictable partner with which they can and must reach agreement, but on which they cannot impose anything from the outside,” Mr Putin told his audience.

Increasingly seen as representing the interests of a corrupt bureaucracy, United Russia has watched its public approval ratings plummet in recent months.

The party is still certain to win the 4 December election, but is expected to lose the current two-thirds majority that has allowed it to change the constitution at will. Many Russians are wary of Mr Putin’s authoritarian tendencies and fear he will remain in power for 12 more years.