Putin introduced the 42-year-old Medvedev to leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as “one of the candidates” in the March 2 election, but left no doubt he was more than that.

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday promised to end the almost daily violent attacks in Moscow on migrant workers from the former Soviet states.

BELGRADE – The U.S. embassy in Serbia ordered on Friday the departure of support staff and dependents of diplomats after a mob attacked the mission the day before, a spokeswoman said.