Former Russian President Medvedev Gives Ten 'Predictions' On Twitter: Fall of EU, Civil War In US, US President Elon Musk

On the New Year’s Eve, everybody’s into making predictions

Many come up with futuristic hypotheses, as if competing to single out the wildest, and even the most absurd ones.

Here’s our humble contribution.

What can happen in 2023:

— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) December 26, 2022

FOX News: Putin's chief advisor predicts US civil war resulting in Elon Musk presidency 

A chief advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin made a series of bizarre predictions for 2023 Tuesday in a tweet where he claimed the U.S. would enter into a civil war and Elon Musk would come out on top. 

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Putin's advisory security council, took to Twitter to share his "humble contribution" to what he thinks could unfold in the new year.

"Civil war will break out in the U.S.," he said in a list of wild predictions. "California and Texas becoming independent states as a result. "Texas and Mexico will form an allied state," he continued.

"Elon Musk’ll win the presidential election in a number of states which, after the new Civil War’s end, will have been given to the GOP."  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Star rising in Kremlin, Russia's Medvedev predicts war in West (Reuters)  

Update #2: Medvedev's Wild 2023 Predictions Include Elon Musk as U.S. President (Newsweek)  

WNU Editor: He is trolling everyone. And it is working. As of this posting there has already been 33 million views.

Former Russian President Medvedev Says Western Attempts To Break-Up Russia Will Be 'Doomsday' For Mankind

Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev © Yekaterina Shtukina/POOL/TASS  

Daily Mail: Don't risk a 'chess game with DEATH': Ex-Russian president Medvedev warns West of 'doomsday for mankind' if they use war in Ukraine to 'forcefully disintegrate nuclear nation' 

* Ex-president Dmitry Medvedev said West trying to break-up Russia is 'doomsday' 

* Security council deputy made comment after Soviet leader Gorbachev's funeral 

* Thought to be 'more liberal' than Putin but now trying to look tough to win favour 

* He said trying to disintegrate a nuclear power 'always a chess game with death' 

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has today warned the West that trying to break the country up is a 'chess game with death' ending in 'doomsday for mankind'. 

Russian Security Council deputy secretary Mr Medvedev said it was the 'dirty dreams of Anglo-Saxon perverts' to use war in Ukraine to 'paralyse' the invading nation. 

He said the US and their wanted to 'shred us into pieces', in a comparison to the break-up of the USSR in 1991, signalling apocalyptic consequences of a 'forceful disintegration of a nuclear power'.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Is the West listening? 

Former Russian President Medvedev Says Western Attempts To Break-Up Russia Will Be 'Doomsday' For Mankind  

Medvedev views nuclear arsenal as best guarantee of preserving Russia’s might -- TASS  

Putin ally: US dream of Russian breakup is road to doom -- AP  

GAME OF DEATH Vladimir Putin’s pal Medvedev warns West could trigger ‘doomsday for mankind’ if they try to take on Russia over Ukraine -- The SUN

Former Russian President Medvedev Says Russia Can't Stop War Even If Ukraine Drops Its Demand To Join NATO

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, delivers a speech in Saint Petersburg 

Reuters: Russia can't stop war, even if Ukraine drops NATO hopes -Putin ally 

(Reuters) - A top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow would not stop its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kyiv formally renounced its aspirations to join NATO. 

Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, also said in a French television interview that Russia was prepared to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy subject to certain conditions. 

Even before the February invasion, Moscow made clear Ukrainian membership of NATO was unacceptable to it. 

"Renouncing its participation in the North Atlantic alliance is now vital, but it is already insufficient in order to establish peace," Medvedev told LCI television in quotes reported by Russian news agencies.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Former Russian President Medvedev has definitely become one of the harshest hawks in the Kremlin .... ‘I hate them’: Dmitry Medvedev’s journey from liberal to anti-western hawk (The Guardian). 

But he is right that the "goalposts" to end the war have moved since March. The goal of the Kremlin right now is for regime change in Kyiv, and to assert control over the Russian-Ukrainian dominated parts of Ukraine. 

In the eyes of people like Medvedev the Ukraine government lost its legitimacy when they moved to ban the Russian language and culture two months ago .... Ukraine Parliament Moves To Ban Russian Books And Music (June 20, 2022).

Former Russian President Medvedev Invokes ‘Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse’ Amid The Ukraine War

Putin (left) confers with Medvedev (right) at his famous Kremlin desk in January 2020, days before Medvedev relinquished the premiership and joined the President's Security Council  

Newsweek: Russia Warns of 'Horsemen of the Apocalypse' as Ukraine War Hits 100 Days 

A high-ranking Russian official issued a warning to the international community, saying that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the book of Revelation in the bible's New Testament have already started their trip as Russia's invasion of Ukraine reaches 100 days. 

Russian Security County Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in a recent interview that "one can believe that the horsemen of the Apocalypse are already on their way and all hope is in Almighty God," the Russian-state run news agency TASS reported. 

Medvedev added that things have already been set in motion, "however, one can still try to tone down this international situation."  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I remember when former Russian President Medvedev was regarded by the West (and by many Russians) as a soft leader. No more now. He has become the most vocal hardliner within the Kremlin. My gut tells me that he is positioning himself to run again for the Russian Presidency after Putin is gone, and Putin is not blocking him nor telling him to tone down his rhetoric. 

 Former Russian President Medvedev Invokes ‘Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse’ Amid The Ukraine War  

World community should not wait for ‘horsemen of Apocalypse’ but negotiate, says Medvedev -- TASS  

Putin crony invokes ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’ amid Ukraine war -- NYPost  

Russia threatens to strike the West if Ukraine hits it with US rockets -- Metro 

Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev says the West is risking ‘fully fledged nuclear war’ between Moscow and NATO by ‘pumping weapons into Ukraine’ -- Daily Mail

Former Russian President Medvedev Says The Post-Cold War World Order Is Over (Full Interview)

 

RT: Post-Cold War world order is over, former Russian president says (FULL INTERVIEW) 

The West’s sanctions on Moscow are destroying its own economic order while bringing Russians together, according to Dmitry Medvedev 

Though relations between Russia and the West are at their worst since the Cold War, the unipolar world dominated by the US and its allies is now over, former Russian president and current head of the National Security Council Dmitry Medvedev told RT and RIA Novosti in an interview on Thursday. 

He added that Russians are uniting in the face of Western sanctions and threats, and will forever remember the current campaign of hate against everything Russian.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: A lot of topics were covered in this interview. It provides a good insight on what the Kremlin leadership are thinking right now.

Former Russian Prime Minister Medvedev Hints That Chaos Will Be Russia's Future

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, March 27, 2014. Ekaterina Shtukina/RIA Novosti/Pool/Reuters

Julia Davis, Daily Beast: Did Russian Prime Minister Medvedev Drop a Grim Hint About Putin’s Latest Power Grab?

Reading from Chekhov’s “A Night in the Cemetery” on national television Tuesday, Dmitry Medvedev foreshadowed the upheaval to come with his government's resignation on Wednesday.

At a celebration of the Russian Orthodox New Year on Tuesday, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev chose a grim message, the sarcasm of which left his audience on edge. But, then, Medvedev probably knew what Wednesday would bring—the resignation of his entire government—and the audience did not.

On national television, the prime minister read at length from Anton Chekhov’s story "A Night in the Cemetery," which suggests with ironic wit that celebrating the coming of the New Year is a foolish pursuit, unworthy of a properly functioning mind, since “every coming year is as bad as the previous one,” and the newest year is bound to be even worse. Instead of celebrating the New Year, Chekhov wrote—and Medvedev read—one should suffer, cry and attempt suicide. Every new year brings you closer to death, makes you poorer, your bald spots larger and your wife older, he said.

Medvedev’s sour greetings brought on some awkward laughs and sparse applause from confused Russian bureaucrats in the studio audience, most of whom remained stone-faced. The prime minister seemed nervous and almost dropped his papers at the end of the speech.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am speculating now, but I think it was only the day before he was fired that Russian Prime Minister Medvedev and his cabinet learned that they were going to be gone the next day. As to when did Putin make the decision to fire his Prime Minister and the cabinet .... it had to be between Russian Christmas and Russian Orthodox New Year (January 7 - 14). Everyone was distracted with enjoying the holidays, a perfect time for Putin to plot and implement his agenda without anyone noticing and/or leaking it.

Russian Prime Minister Medvedev: Cutting Russia Off From SWIFT Would Mean Declaration Of War

Dmitry Medvedev speaks at 2019 ASEAN Summit © RIA Novosti / Dmitry Astakhov

RT: Cutting Russia off from SWIFT would mean declaration of war – Russian PM

Restricting Russia’s access to the SWIFT international banking payment system would virtually mean a declaration of war, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has warned.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Medvedev recalled the West once seriously considered the option, and Moscow is aware of it.

“This would in fact be a declaration of war, but nevertheless it was discussed,” the Russian prime minister said, adding that this is one of the reasons why the government is looking into ways to protect the Russian part of the internet.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Russia and China have been working together to bypass SWIFT but it has been difficult .... Russian banks join Chinese alternative to SWIFT payment system (RT).

Kremlin Will Not Say If Russian President Putin Considered Other Candidates For Prime Minister Besides Dmitry Medvedev

© Alexander Astafyev/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

TASS: Kremlin mum on whether Putin considered other candidates for PM besides Medvedev

MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. Acting Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has refrained from commenting on whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin considered any other candidates for prime minister in addition to Dmitry Medvedev.

"I cannot answer this question (on whether other candidates were considered by Putin - TASS)," he told reporters. "You know that this is the purview of the head of state, he exercised this right and nominated Dmitry Anatolyevich [Medvedev]," Peskov noted.

When asked whether the Kremlin knew until Monday that Putin had chosen Medvedev, Peskov said, "Those who were supposed to know knew it and those who were not didn’t."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Not a ringing endorsement from the Presidential spokesman. As to what is my take .... Dmitry Medvedev wanted the job, and he has many friends in the Russian establishment. There was no other serious candidate.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev: U.S.-Russia Relations Are in ‘Disgusting’ Condition

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev © Ekaterina Shtukina / Reuters

Moscow Times: Russia's PM Medvedev Says U.S.-Russia Relations ‘Worst in Memory’

U.S.-Russia relations are in the worst state that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev can remember, he said Thursday, even though he believes President Donald Trump wants to improve them.

Speaking at his annual question and answer session with journalists broadcast on Kremlin-run television, Medvedev said U.S.-Russia relations “are worst in my memory” — and, he stressed, he was alive during the period under former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

“They are very bad,” Medvedev said. “I would say appalling. They are the worst I can remember.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: It is about to get worse as explained in the commentary .... The US sanctions bill is a timebomb for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin (Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian)

More News On Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's Remarks On Current U.S.-Russia Relations

Russia-US atmosphere 'getting ugly' though Trump is decent politician — PM Medvedev -- TASS
Russian PM says U.S.-Russia ties at low ebb but Trump 'friendly' -- Reuters
U.S.-Russia Relations Are in ‘Disgusting’ Condition, Medvedev Says -- Bloomberg

Russian Prime Minister Dimitri Medvedev Is Now The Most Hated Man In Russia

August 30, 2015. Vladimir Putin (R) and Dmitry Medvedev during a workout at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi. © Ekaterina Shtukina / RIA Novosti

The Guardian: Dmitry Medvedev: the whipping boy for Russia's discontented

The corruption allegations that led to street protests add to the air of disappointment surrounding the country’s prime minister.

The street protests that swept Russian cities over the weekend were remarkable not just for their unusually large size, but also for their main target: Dmitry Medvedev.

After an investigation by the anti-corruption campaigner and opposition politician Alexei Navalny alleged a network of palaces and vineyards linked to Medvedev, the prime minister has become the focal point of the protests. Angry Russians carried rubber ducks, a mocking reference to a shelter for ducks found on one of his alleged properties.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: First things first .... I first met Dmitry Medvedev when he was the Kremlin Chief of Staff around 2004 .... and I supported him in his 2008 Presidential bid. His appeal to me was that he was a reformer who wanted to impose a just and proper legal system in Russia .... and at the beginning he started to do just that. But after one year in office he changed .... and all the reforms that he had promised were then ignored. We now know today that he has accumulated billions in wealth through shell companies and loyal friends .... and yes .... he has become the poster child on what is wrong with Russia today. Will Russian President Putin still keep him as his Prime Minister .... for the moment yes. But if the anti-corruption movement builds up steam in the coming year .... Putin will cut him loose.

Is Russian Prime Minister Medvedev An Underground Billionaire?

DW: Russian opposition politician Navalny links PM Medvedev to billion euro property empire

Navalny alleges Medvedev took bribes from key Russian oligarchs under the guise of donations to charities. In a 49-minute expose Navalny even flies drones over lavish properties he alleges were bought with corrupt money.

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of massive corruption in a report accompanied by a Youtube video he posted on Thursday.

The anti-corruption activist alleged Medvedev controls a property empire including mansions, yachts and vineyards financed by bribes from oligarchs to a network of non-profit organisations.

"Based on the documentation disclosed, we can confirm that at least 70 billion rubles (1.3 billion euros or US$1.19 billion) have been transferred in cash and assets to Medvedev's foundations," said Navalny, who heads the Anti-Corruption Foundation.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I supported Dimitri Medvedev when he became Russian President .... and the reason why was that he made it very clear to people like me that one of his top priorities was to implement a fair and just legal system for Russia. Contract law. Juries. Civil and criminal statutes. The whole nine yards. But after being sworn in as President the momentum to make these changes disappeared within a year. Russia is poorer today because of that .... but if the above report is even 10% true .... this reluctance to implement badly needed legal reforms in Russia ended up making former Russian President and now Prime minister Dimitri Medvedev a very rich man. Why did he change .... the answer is very simple. Washington is not the only place in the world that corrupts those who come to power with noble ideals but end up becoming part of the system and establishment .... Moscow has a long history of doing the same thing.

Russian Prime Minister: Relations With The U.S. Are Now 'Rock Bottom'

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

TASS: Relations of Russia, US "hit rock bottom" - Medvedev

Medvedev emphasized the deteriorating relations with the US "are neither our fault nor our choice"

MOSCOW, November 5. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev believes that Washington is to blame that the relations of Russia and the United States "hit rock bottom."

"Unfortunately, in the wake of developments in Ukraine and owing to efforts of the US President (Barack) Obama’s administration, this relationship (of Russia and the US) has dropped to the lowest level ever, just hit rock bottom," Medvedev said in an interview with Israel’s Channel One broadcaster.

"The relations are at the lowest point, at the extremely lowest point," the Russian head of government said. "Frankly speaking, when we began contacts with the current Administration of President (Barack) Obama, I could not even imagine that they would have dropped to such an unprecedentedly lowest level."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am old enough to remember that the Cold War .... and we are nowhere near that level of hostility. But relations with Russia under President Obama are at an all time low .... and I blame both the White House, the Kremlin, and many European governments for this situation. As for the future .... I do not see it improving under a Clinton administration .... in fact I can easily see it getting worse. As for the Kremlin's view on Donald Trump .... if state media is any indication .... Russian media backs Trump, questions U.S. democracy (AP). What's my take .... who really knows what Donald Trump would do to improve U.S. Russian relations in the event that he wins the Presidency .... and my advice to the Kremlin if they are hoping for a Trump victory is that they better be ready to be disappointed.

A Look At How The Russian Prime Minister Lives

Radio Free Europe: Medvedev Manor: Navalny Reveals Plush Estate Used By PM

Like many of his compatriots, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev enjoys combing the woods for mushrooms. And it was a photo of these delectables posted on Medvedev's Instagram page that opposition leader Aleksei Navalny used to help tie Medvedev to a lavish country estate shrouded in secrecy.

The investigation published on September 15 gives the wider public its first glimpse at the sprawling Volga River dacha complex in the Ivanovo region east of Moscow. For several years, the estate has been rumored to be a favorite weekend or holiday destination for Medvedev.

Read more ....

Update: Viral Drone Video Exposes Luxury Getaway of Putin’s PM Medvedev (Daily Mail).

WNU Editor: Yup .... that part of Moscow is where the estates are .... and it is where many of  Russia's elite live.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev: We Are 'Approaching A Second Cold War'

New Cold War May Emerge in Ukraine Crisis, Medvedev Says -- Bloomberg

Russia is being pulled into a new Cold War with the U.S. and its allies, who are using economic warfare reminiscent of the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

Russia has prepared a raft of retaliatory steps in response to potentially wider sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the European Union, Medvedev, 48, said yesterday in an interview with Bloomberg Television at his residence outside Moscow. While he didn’t give details of Russia’s potential steps, he described the punitive measures as a double-edged sword.

Read more ....

Update: Russian Prime Minister: We Are 'Approaching a Second Cold War' -- Weekly Standard

My Comment: Sadly .... Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is probably correct .... we are entering a second .... albeit a different .... Cold War. The consequence on global relations will be profound .... and where this may eventually lead to is anyone's guess.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev: Terrorist Leaders Considered Alive Until Proven Dead

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in the Moscow suburban Gorki residence during an interview with the CNN television channel. (RIA Novosti / Ekaterina Shtukina)

Terrorist Leaders Considered Alive Until Proven Dead - Medvedev -- RIA Novosti

Answering a question about reports that the top Chechen terrorist Doku Umarov is dead, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev noted that law enforcers have not yet obtained solid proof of this.

“I think that until the proof of death is presented for certain terrorists (I do not want to pronounce any names here), the special services must list them as alive. When such proof is presented the terrorist’s name must be taken off the list of the living,” Dmitry Medvedev made this statement during his recent interview with CNN.

The PM answered the question whether he possessed any information about the fate of Russia’s most wanted man – Doku Umarov. The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, has repeatedly announced that this terrorist leader is dead.

Read more ....

My Comment: I am translating his comments differently .... what Medvedev is saying is that he prefers terror leaders more dead than alive.

Russian Prime Minister Medvedev Warns Of War

Military intervention in the sovereign affairs of other states may lead to outright war, including nuclear war, Medvedev said. © RIA Novosti. Yekaterina Shtukina

Russia Says Action On Syria, Iran May Go Nuclear -- Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned on Thursday that military action against sovereign states could lead to a regional nuclear war, starkly voicing Moscow's opposition to Western intervention ahead of a G8 summit at which Syria and Iran will be discussed.

"Hasty military operations in foreign states usually bring radicals to power," Medvedev, president for four years until Vladimir Putin's inauguration on May 7, told a conference in St. Petersburg in remarks posted on the government's website.

Read more ....

More News On Russian Prime Minister Medvedev Warning Of War

Medvedev Warns of ‘Full-Blown Wars’ -- RIA Novosti
Infringing national sovereignty could lead to nuclear apocalypse - Medvedev -- RT
Medvedev warns of war -- UPI
Medvedev warns of nuclear war -- New Europe

My Comment: He is right to express his concerns .... but no one is the Middle East is listening to him.

Ex-President Medvedev Confirmed As Russian Prime Minister

Ex-President Medvedev Confirmed As PM -- RIA Novosti

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was confirmed as the country’s new prime minister by a majority of votes in the State Duma on Tuesday.

President Vladimir Putin submitted Medvedev’s candidacy for the post shortly after his inauguration as president on Monday. Medvedev occupied the presidential post in 2008-2012.

Read more ....

More News On The Confirmation Of Ex-President Medvedev As PM

Russian parliament approves ‘experienced politician’ Medvedev as Putin’s prime minister -- Washington Post/AP
Russian parliament approves Medvedev as PM -- Xinhuanet
Putin and Medvedev complete job swap in Russia -- Reuters
Parliament approves Medvedev’s candidacy for premiership -- RT
Russia's Medvedev seeks new lease of life as PM -- Reuters

My Comment: Putin wants to show continuity in the Russian government. This appointment and confirmation is not a surprise.

Russian President Medvedev: 'I Have Bad Moods, Very Bad Moods'

Russian outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev speaks during his live television interview in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday. Vladimir Rodionov / RIA Novosti - Kremlin Pool via E

'I Have Bad Moods, Very Bad Moods,' Russia's President Reveals In Rare Live TV Interview -- MSNBC/New York Times

Medvedev says his political partnership with Vladimir Putin will remain in place 'for a long time'.

MOSCOW — During a two-hour interview on Russian television on Thursday, President Dmitri A. Medvedev admitted disappointment over some of the goals of his four-year presidency, saying that his anticorruption drive was stymied “because officials are a corporation, and they do not want anyone to meddle in their affairs.”

Read more ....

More News On Outgoing Russian President Medvedev

Medvedev Boasts and Admits Flaws of Reign -- Moscow Times
Medvedev’s interview entrapped in the Net -- RT
Medvedev to lead United Russia Party -- UPI
Medvedev Accepts Top Party Job -- Moscow Times
Medvedev agrees to lead United Russia -- RT
Medvedev Accepts Offer to Head Ruling Party -- RIA Novosti
Medvedev and Putin to rule Russia 'a long time' -- CBC/AP
Dmitry Medvedev says he and Vladimir Putin to rule Russia for 'long time' -- The Telegraph
Medvedev's legacy in Russia: small victories in Putin's shadows -- Christian Science Monitor
Russia's outgoing president: Dmitry's farewell -- The Economist

My Comment: I just watched the original interview in Russian, and it is an incredibly revealing insight into the mind of Russian President Medvedev. To begin .... the structure and presentation of the interview was excellent, and one in which I am sure that many Russians (myself included) were impressed on how he presented and conducted himself in answering some very tough questions. Bottom line .... and a prediction .... outgoing Russian President Medvedev soon to be Prime Minister is going to be around for a very long time.

Russian President Medvedev Ridiculed By Kremlin Watchers

Medvedev Mocked Over 'I Transmit To Vladimir' Gaffe -- Times of Malta

Kremlin critics and Russian bloggers today mercilessly mocked President Dmitry Medvedev after microphones picked up him promising to "transmit" a message from Barack Obama to Vladimir Putin.

"I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir," Medvedev was heard telling Obama in English in a "hot-mike" exchange on the sidelines of a summit in South Korea that has already caused a storm in the United States.

Read more ....

My Comment: (Of course) no one is mocking Putin.

Outgoing Russian President Medvedev Admits Putin Is More Popular Than I Am

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (left) and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Radio Free Europe

Dmitry Medvedev: 'Putin Is More Popular Than I Am' -- The Guardian

Outgoing Russian president denies political rivalry with current prime minister, claiming he was happy to step aside.

Russia's outgoing president, Dmitry Medvedev, agreed to step down because he believes Vladimir Putin is more popular, he said.

"I note that prime minister Putin, without a doubt, is currently the most authoritative politician in our country," Medvedev said in an interview to the country's three state-run television stations. "His rating is slightly higher."

Medvedev has been the target of ridicule in Russia since Putin announced he would return to the presidency next year. The interview is to be aired on Friday but a transcript was pre-released by the Kremlin. Putin has said he will make Medvedev his prime minister.

"My main ambition is to be of use to my country and my people," Medvedev said.

Read more ....

More News On Russian President Medvedev's Reasons For Not Running For The Presidency

Medvedev Defends Plan to Trade Places With Putin -- New York Times
Medvedev said he cedes presidency bid to Putin because he is more popular -- CNN
Russia's Medvedev defends Putin swap plan -- Reuters
Russia's Medvedev Says Putin Is More Popular -- Radio Free Europe
Vladimir Putin is more popular than me, says Medvedev -- BBC
Medvedev turns to TV to shore up authority -- Financial Times
Russia's Medvedev: Putin Is More Popular -- NPR/AP
Medvedev Loses Temper After Giving Up Kremlin -- Wall Street Journal