Is Vladimir Putin in Trouble

Anti-government protests, a rare thing indeed, have begun to draw thousands of people across the country.

And on Sunday, United Russia, the party created with the sole purpose of promoting Putins agenda, fared far worse than it hoped in regional elections, losing a key mayoral seat and its majority in half of the regions where votes were held.

Source:
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/russia/100315/election-putin-united-russia

Russia to develop offensive weapons to keep balance with USA

Russia needs to develop "offensive strike systems" to preserve strategic balance with the United States, without producing its own missile defense, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/29/russia.offensive.weapons/index.html