Prime Minister Vladimir Putin looks on as he and Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, unseen, meet with their supporters in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011.Russia's main independent election watchdog says prosecutors have opened a probe against the group suspecting it of breaking election laws just three days before the parliamentary vote.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, pool)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks at a meeting with members of Valdai international discussion club in Krasnogorsk, just outside Moscow, on November 11, 2011. Putin said today Moscow was "very worried" by the eurozone crisis and expected the European Union to act quickly to avoid economic stagnation. AFP PHOTO/ POOL/ MISHA JAPARIDZE

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reacts while chairing a meeting with activists of the Russian Popular Front in Moscow, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/Denis Sinyakov, Pool)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in St. Petersburg, on October 18, 2011. Addressing yesterday Russians on primetime television to explain his controversial decision to seek a third mandate as president, Putin said his foreign critics should mind their own business and "fight inflation" and "obesity" in a thinly veiled but startling dig at the United States. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the third "Russia Calling!" investment forum organized by VTB Capital bank at the Moscow World Trade Center on October 6, 2011. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks as he chairs a conference of the coordinating board of his "All-Russian People's Front" movement on August 23, 2011 in Moscow. AFP PHOTO / DMITRY KOSTYUKOV

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends the meeting devoted to the problems of the disabled, organized by the People's Front movement in Moscow on August 19, 2011. AFP PHOTO / POOL / ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin adjusts his sunglasses as he watches an air show during MAKS-2011, the International Aviation and Space Show, in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on August 17, 2011. AFP PHOTO / DMITRY KOSTYUKOV

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin adjusts his tie as he watches an air show during MAKS-2011, the International Aviation and Space Show, in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on August 17, 2011. AFP PHOTO / DMITRY KOSTYUKOV

FILE In this April 28, 2011 file photo Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin jokes during the World Health Organization meeting on healthy lifestyle in Moscow, Russia. Putin, as both prime minister and president, is beloved by many Russians for reining in post-Soviet chaos, but criticized as turning away from democratic development. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, Pool, File)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks during a summit of CIS countries Prime Ministers in Minsk on May 19, 2011. AFP PHOTO / VIKTOR DRACHEV

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin jokes during the World Health Organization meeting on healthy lifestyle in Moscow on Thursday, April 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sets up prior to a meeting with EU commissioners on Febuary 24, 2011 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Prime Minister Putin, together with a strong delegation of Russian ministers, is meeting with Commission President Barroso to discuss Russia-EU cooperation on a broad range of concrete topics. AFP PHOTO GEORGES GOBET

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin addresses the media, at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/LASKI DIFFUSION Wladimir Putin (prezydent Rosji) z czasow sluzby w KGB. Vladimir Putin (president of Russia ) while working in KGB.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/LASKI DIFFUSION Wladimir Putin (prezydent Rosji) z czasow sluzby w KGB. Vladimir Putin (president of Russia ) while working in KGB.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/LASKI DIFFUSION Wladimir Putin (prezydent Rosji) z czasow sluzby w KGB. Vladimir Putin (president of Russia ) while working in KGB.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/LASKI DIFFUSION Wladimir Putin (prezydent Rosji) z czasow pracy w KGB w wydziale politycznym NRD. Vladirmir Putin (president of Russia ) while working in KGB in NRD political department .

PHOTO: AFP/EAST NEWS Russian premier Vladimir Putin talks during the Opening Plenary of the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 28, 2009. The annual Davos political and business summit started Wednesday with new warnings over the gravity of the global recession and the impact of the damage already done. AFP PHOTO PIERRE VERDY

Russian President Vladimir Putin coughs during a press conference after the NATO-Russia Council meeting at the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, on April 4, 2008. Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at some NATO countries Friday over the "total demonisation" of his country, but added that Moscow was ready to return to a key Cold War arms treaty. AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA