Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev casts his ballot at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday, March 4, 2012. Polling stations have opened across Russia's vast expanse for the presidential election widely expected to return Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin. (AP Photo/ Leonid Lebedev)

Winter swimming enthusiasts hold their passports as they receive ballots in a polling station in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, on March 4, 2012, shortly after taking a bath in the icy water. Russians voted today in presidential polls expected to return strongman Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin for a record third term, despite a wave of protests against his 12 years of domination. AFP PHOTO / VALERY TITIEVSKY

Winter swimming enthusiasts receive ballots in a polling station in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, on March 4, 2012, shortly after taking a bath in the icy water. Russians voted today in presidential polls expected to return strongman Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin for a record third term, despite a wave of protests against his 12 years of domination. AFP PHOTO / VALERY TITIEVSKY

Winter swimming enthusiasts cast their ballots in a polling station in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, on March 4, 2012, shortly after taking a bath in the icy water. Russians voted today in presidential polls expected to return strongman Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin for a record third term, despite a wave of protests against his 12 years of domination. AFP PHOTO / VALERY TITIEVSKY

Winter swimming enthusiasts cast their ballots in a polling station in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, on March 4, 2012, shortly after taking a bath in the icy water. Russians voted today in presidential polls expected to return strongman Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin for a record third term, despite a wave of protests against his 12 years of domination. AFP PHOTO / VALERY TITIEVSKY

A member of the election committee carries a ballot box as she walks across the field to reach two voters who live in the abandoned village of Solodilovo, some 220 kilometers North from Moscow, Sunday, March 4, 2012. Polling stations have opened across Russia's vast expanse for the presidential election widely expected to return Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev casts his ballot at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday, March 4, 2012. Polling stations have opened across Russia's vast expanse for the presidential election widely expected to return Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin. (AP Photo/ Leonid Lebedev)

Russian citizens wait for their turn to enter a temporary polling station in the Russian Embassy in the Ukraine's capital Kiev, on March 4, 2012, to vote in Russia's presidential election. AFP PHOTO / VLADIMIR SINDEYEV

Vehicles of the Interior Ministry troops stand outside the Kremlin in Moscow, on March 4, 2012. Russians voted on Sunday in presidential polls likely to return strongman Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin for a record third term amid a wave of protests unseen for decades as 38500 police officers were dispatched in the Russia's capital for security. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Vehicles of the Interior Ministry troops stand outside the Kremlin in Moscow, on March 4, 2012. Russians voted on Sunday in presidential polls likely to return strongman Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin for a record third term amid a wave of protests unseen for decades as 38500 police officers were dispatched in the Russia's capital for security. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Election officials open a ballot box to count votes in a polling station in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, on March 4, 2012, after polling stations closed doors during first round of the presidential polls. Putin was set to return to the Kremlin after crushing his opponents in today's presidential election which the opposition said was marred by serial violations. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV

- EDITORS NOTE -- CORRECTING PHOTOGRAPHER'S NAME TO ALEXANDER NEMENOV People walk past a huge map of Russia in the campaign staff of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow, on March 4, 2012. The screens (top) show photos of the candidates and the polls early results. Putin was set to return to the Kremlin after crushing his opponents in today's presidential election which the opposition said was marred by serial violations. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER NEMENOV

Election officials open a ballot box to count votes in a polling station in Moscow, on March 4, 2012, after polling stations closed doors during first round of the presidential polls. Putin was set to return to the Kremlin after crushing his opponents in today's presidential election which the opposition said was marred by serial violations. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV

Election officials open a ballot box to count votes in a polling station in Moscow, on March 4, 2012, after polling stations closed doors during first round of the presidential polls. Putin was set to return to the Kremlin after crushing his opponents in today's presidential election which the opposition said was marred by serial violations. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV

Election officials open a ballot box to count votes in a polling station in Moscow, on March 4, 2012, after polling stations closed doors during first round of the presidential polls. Putin was set to return to the Kremlin after crushing his opponents in today's presidential election which the opposition said was marred by serial violations. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin greets his supporters while arriving for a rally at the Manezhnaya Square just outside the Kremlin in Moscow, late on March 4, 2012. With tears in his eyes and his voice hoarse with emotion, Putin declared today victory in Russia elections, as he addressed tens of thousands of supporters outside the Kremlin walls. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI POOL/ ALEXEY DRUZHININ

With tears in his eyes Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) addresses his supporters during a rally at the Manezhnaya Square just outside the Kremlin in Moscow, late on March 4, 2012, with outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev (R) atttending. With tears in his eyes and his voice hoarse with emotion, Putin declared today victory in Russia elections, as he addressed tens of thousands of supporters outside the Kremlin walls. AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin addresses his supporters during a rally at the Manezhnaya Square just outside the Kremlin in Moscow, late on March 4, 2012. With tears in his eyes and his voice hoarse with emotion, Putin declared today victory in Russia elections, as he addressed tens of thousands of supporters outside the Kremlin walls. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) hugs outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev during a rally at the Manezhnaya Square just outside the Kremlin in Moscow, late on March 4, 2012. With tears in his eyes and his voice hoarse with emotion, Putin declared today victory in Russia elections, as he addressed tens of thousands of supporters outside the Kremlin walls. AFP PHOTO / RIA-NOVOSTI / KREMLIN POOL / DMITRY ASTAKHOV

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin addresses his supporters while arriving for a rally at the Manezhnaya Square just outside the Kremlin in Moscow, late on March 4, 2012. With tears in his eyes and his voice hoarse with emotion, Putin declared today victory in Russia elections, as he addressed tens of thousands of supporters outside the Kremlin walls. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI POOL/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY