TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY OLGA NEDBAEVA An image grab taken on March 2, 2012, from a YouTube clip titled "Russia Without Putin. Welcome to Hell" shows a partly seen image of Putin with a sign reading : "Russia Without Putin?" The pro-Putin clip describes Russia's slide into anarchy without the Russian strongman. AFP PHOTO/YOUTUBE == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / YOUTUBE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - AFP IS USING PICTURES FROM ALTERNATIVE SOURCES AS IT WAS NOT AUTHORISED TO COVER THIS EVENT, THEREFORE IT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DIGITAL ALTERATIONS TO THE PICTURE'S EDITORIAL CONTENT, DATE AND LOCATION WHICH CANNOT BE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED ==

A campaign portait of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with a slogan "For Putin! And That's It!" is hung on a building in central Moscow, on March 2, 2012, two days before presidential elections in Russia. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY STUART WILLIAMS (FILES) A file picture taken on August 10, 2011, shows Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) holding two ancient amphorae while scuba diving in Taman Bay during a visit to underwater archaeological site at Phanagoria on the Taman Peninsula. After Putin appeared to miraculously "discover" ancient Greek urns his spokesman admitted later the urns had been placed there on purpose, sparking a frenzy of mockery among opposition bloggers. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ ALEXEY DRUZHININ

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sits in a bob as he attends a training session of the Russian National Team during Putin's visit to Paramonovo bobsleigh and tobogganing center outside Dmitrov in the Moscow Region, on February 16, 2012. After serving two consecutive presidential terms between 2000 and 2008 and a term as prime minister, Putin is seeking a third term in the March 4 presidential election. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY

President Dmitry Medvedev listens as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, looks at him during the State Council meeting in Moscow's Kremlin Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 at the start of the State Council. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service, pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and President Dmitry Medvedev listen during the State Council meeting in Moscow's Kremlin Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 at the start of the State Council. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service, pool)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speak at a meeting of Russian and Belarusian leaderships in the Gorki residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. Russia's state-controlled natural gas company on Friday bought the remaining stake in Belarus' gas pipeline system to become its sole owner in a move that would strengthen Moscow's control over gas exports to the West. (AP Photo/Maxim Shipenkov, Pool)

ALTERNATIVE CROP - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speak at a meeting of Russian and Belarusian leadership in the Gorki residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. Russia's state-controlled natural gas company on Friday bought the remaining stake in Belarus' gas pipeline system to become its sole owner in a move that would strengthen Moscow's control over gas exports to the West. (AP Photo/Maxim Shipenkov, Pool)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and President Dmitry Medvedev speak as they visit a farm in the southern Russian Stavropol region, on October 25, 2011. Since announcing he would hand over the Kremlin to Putin next year, Medvedev has repeatedly appeared in public with the prime minister in an apparent bid to give a sense of unity between the leaders to Russians. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ KREMLIN POOL/ YEKATERINA SHTUKINA

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) synchronize their watches during a congress of Russia's ruling party in Moscow, on September 24, 2011. Putin accepted today a proposal by Medvedev to stand for Russian president in 2012 polls, saying it was a "great honour".AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ KREMLIN POOL/ YEKATERINA SHTUKINA

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) receives consultation from traumatologist Viktor Petrachenkov during his visit to Smolensk Regional Hospital on August 25, 2011. Putin said he has hurt his shoulder during morning Judo practice. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ ALEKSEY DRUZHININ

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) poses to the press as he prepares for arm wrestling during his visits in the Seliger youth educational forum, near Lake Seliger, some 450 kilometres (281 miles) northwest of Moscow, in the Tver region on August 1, 2011. AFP PHOTO / POOL / MIKHAIL METZEL

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrives at a training session for young ice hockey players before the "Golden Puck" youth tournament final, in Moscow on April 15, 2011. AFP PHOTO / RIA-NOVOSTI / ALEKSEY NIKOLSKY

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin poses for photographers together with teenage ice hockey players after taking part in a hockey training session at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, Friday, April 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen as plays ice hockey in a training session with teenage players at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, Friday, April 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visit the newly built Rosa Khutor ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana near the Black Sea resort of Sochi, southern Russia, on February 18, 2011, during the Alpine European Cup 2011 . The event was the first opportunity for sportsmen to test a new slope prior to the 2014 Olympics. AFP PHOTO/POOL/ MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visit the newly built Rosa Khutor ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana near the Black Sea resort of Sochi, southern Russia, on February 18, 2011, during the Alpine European Cup 2011 . The event was the first opportunity for sportsmen to test a new slope prior to the 2014 Olympics. AFP AFP PHOTO/ POOL/ MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visit the newly built Rosa Khutor ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana near the Black Sea resort of Sochi, southern Russia, on February 18, 2011, during the Alpine European Cup 2011 . The event was the first opportunity for sportsmen to test a new slope prior to the 2014 Olympics. AFP PHOTO/POOL/ MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin takes part in a judo training session at the "Moscow" sports complex in St. Petersburg, on December 22, 2010. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI POOL/ ALEXEY DRUZHININ

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hugs a Bulgarian shepherd dog, a present from his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov after their press conference in Sofia on November 13, 2010. Bulgaria's state energy holding BEH and Russian gas giant Gazprom set up on Saturday a joint venture to build and operate the Bulgarian stretch of the South Stream gas pipeline from Russia to southern Europe.AFP PHOTO / NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV