Vladimir Putin's Move to Retain Power in Russia

Reports from Moscow say it is most likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday will accept the leadership of the dominant United Russia party, putting him in a position to retain power as prime minister once he is succeeded as president by his hand-picked, elected successor, Dmitry Medvedev.

Putin, barred from seeking a third consecutive presidential term, backed Medvedev's election and is set to give up his Kremlin office on May 7. At a two-day party convention that opened Monday in Moscow, according to the Associated Press, United Russia leader Boris Gryzlov said the party would offer Putin the chairmanship Tuesday. His name would very likely be put before more than 550 delegates for a vote.

—Terry Atlas