On Sunday night, Vladimir Putin, with tears in his eyes, addressed his supporters after the preliminary election results were announced. His display of emotion is understandable – Russia’s top politician had to fight for this victory much harder than in past elections. The change in the political atmosphere in the country, clearly expressed by the large-scale protests in Moscow this winter, compelled the prime minister to run a U.S.-style campaign. He visited most of the regions, held dozens of meetings with different social groups, published seven articles on all aspects of policy, created a lot of publicity for his campaign and reaffirmed his ability to mobilize his supporters.
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