Medvedev shows a touch of iron fist

Russia's new president has issued two clear messages designed to show he is no soft replacement for Vladimir Putin.

Within hours of winning election Dmitry Medvedev allowed a pro-government youth march to descend on the US Embassy and the state-controlled gas monopoly reduced gas supplies to Western-leaning Ukraine.

The moves are an early indication that Mr Medvedev, the president-elect, intends to continue the course set by his mentor Mr Putin, who has reasserted his country's power abroad while keeping a tight grip on society at home.

Nearly final results from 99.45% of precincts showed that the 42-year-old Mr Medvedev had received 70.2% of the vote, the head of the elections commission said Monday.

Shortly after almost all the votes were counted, hundreds of young people marched through Moscow toward the US embassy to criticise American policies in Kosovo, Iraq and the Muslim world.

Then Gazprom, the Russian gas monopoly, made good on a promise to reduce gas supplies to Ukraine. Mr Medvedev is chairman of Gazprom.

Russia says the dispute over natural gas with Ukraine is strictly a financial one, a result of the alleged non-payment by Ukraine for past gas deliveries. But the timing of the cut-off suggests a possible deeper motive: telling the world that despite his purported liberal leanings, Mr Medvedev plans to rule with a firm hand, perhaps guided by Putin.

The last time Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine was in January 2006 in a move widely seen as punishment for the Orange Revolution that blocked a Kremlin-backed candidate from gaining Ukraine's presidency. Since then, Russia has expressed continuing anger over Ukraine's attempts to join Nato and forge stronger links with the European Union.

The election campaign was dominated by Mr Medvedev, the Kremlin's favourite, who refused to debate with his rivals or formally campaign but received the bulk of the television coverage. In the end, no one was surprised by the result.

The main outstanding question was who would be calling the shots in Russia once Mr Medvedev takes over and, as is widely expected, names Mr Putin prime minister. The outside world will watch closely how the new leadership in Russia, with its immense oil and gas reserves, engages with global rivals and partners at a time of rising commodities prices.

Russian Police Detain Dozens in Attempt to Thwart Opposition Protest Over Election - March 03, 2008 - MOSCOW — Police detained dozens of people Monday at a protest over the presidential election in Moscow, manhandling many and hauling them into buses as demonstrators chanted "Shame!" and "Down With the Police State!"

In Russia's second largest city, meanwhile, Garry Kasparov — the former chess champion who is now an ardent Kremlin foe — led as many as 3,000 people on an authorized march to protest the vote, which was won resoundingly by outgoing President Vladimir Putin's protege, Dmitry Medvedev.

Moscow riot police with helmets and shields encircled a little square outside a subway station while small groups of activists tried to light flares and unfurl anti-government banners. As some chanted "This Is Our City!" and "We Need Another Russia!" police stormed through the crowd, tackling people and dragging them away, their arms wrenched behind their backs or their shirts half-torn off.

Most of those detained appeared to be younger, and targeted specifically by police, though a leader of a liberal political party, Nikita Belykh, was also taken away by camouflaged officers holding him above their heads. Also arrested was prominent human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov.

Two members of Kasparov's coalition were detained in Moscow, his Web site said.

"Fifteen years ago I wouldn't have thought that my children would be growing up in a country that reminds me so much of the Soviet Union," said Alexander Ivanov, 48.

The display of police force was sign that authorities would allow no significant dissent as the Kremlin celebrates Medvedev's victory — a victory dismissed by Kasparov and other opposition leaders as a farce.

"Medvedev's appointment is illegitimate," Kasparov said. "March 3 is the day we start fighting against an illegitimate regime."

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