President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday named the Kremlin official credited with designing Russia’s tightly-controlled political system as deputy prime minister in charge of a modernisation drive. The appointment of Vladislav Surkov, until now Kremlin first deputy chief of staff, comes as Russia’s rulers scramble to reassert their authority amid a wave of protests against the conduct of parliamentary elections. Putin derides protestors, rejects demands: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Tuesday belittled Russia’s protest movement as lacking clear aims or leaders and rejected their demands for a review of the results of disputed parliamentary polls.
Putin’s comments were his latest warning he does not plan to be swayed by the demands of the emboldened protestors, who at the weekend staged their biggest demonstration yet against his 12 year domination of Russia. “They have no united programme, clear ways of reaching their aims – which are themselves not clear – or people who could achieve something concrete,” Putin said in comments broadcast by state television. “I have difficulty imagining who from their ranks could do concrete work for the development of our state,” Putin told a meeting of his All-Russian Popular Front that rallies support for him.