Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, left, listens to Russian Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky speaking at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115681
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115680
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115679
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Background left: Russian President Vladimir Putin.08.05.2012#1115674
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, left, listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115673
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115672
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115671
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Background left: Russian President Vladimir Putin.08.05.2012#1115670
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115668
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Background left: Russian President Vladimir Putin.08.05.2012#1115667
Russian State Duma deputies listen to prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, far center, speaking at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115666
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Background left: Russian President Vladimir Putin.08.05.2012#1115665
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, center, speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115662
Russian State Duma deputies listen to prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaking at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115661
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Background, from left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, and State Duma first deputy speakers, Ivan Melnikov and Alexander Zhukov.08.05.2012#1115660
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Background, from left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, and State Duma First Deputy Speakers Ivan Melnikov.08.05.2012#1115659
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115658
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115657
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115620
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115619
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115592
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115590
Russian President Vladimir Putin, background right, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, left, listen to Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky speaking at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115574
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115573
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115572
Head of the United Russia party's faction in the State Duma, Andrei Vorobyov, foreground, speaks at the Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where Vladimir Putin introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012. Background, from right: Russian President Vladimir Putin and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev.08.05.2012#1115571
Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, foreground, speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where Vladimir Putin introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012. Background, from right: Russian President Vladimir Putin and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev.08.05.2012#1115570
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115569
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115568
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Right: State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin.08.05.2012#1115567
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115549
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115548
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, foreground, speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115547
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115546
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115545
Russia's Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115544
Russian President Vladimir Putin, background right, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Foreground: Russian Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky.08.05.2012#1115543
Russia's Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where Vladimir Putin introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115542
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115541
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115540
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115539
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115527
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where he was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115526
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where he was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115525
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where he was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115524
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where he was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115523
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where he introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115521
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where he introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115520
The State Duma approves Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister, as shown in a tabulation of a vote in the Duma.08.05.2012#1115498
From bottom: Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115497
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115496
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115495
Russian President Vladimir Putin, foreground left, at the State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012. Foreground right: Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev.08.05.2012#1115494
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, foreground left, speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115493
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115492
Russian Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where Vladimir Putin introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115491
Russian prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session.08.05.2012#1115490
Russian Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where Vladimir Putin introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115489
Russian President Vladimir Putin, background, and prime minister candidate and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115488
Russia's Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov speaks at the Russian State Duma's extraordinary plenary session, where Vladimir Putin introduced Dmitry Medvedev as candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister, May 8, 2012.08.05.2012#1115475
