When Vladimir Putin was handed power unexpectedly by an ailing Boris Yeltsin on the last day of the last century, his first move was to go on television to guarantee Russia the freedoms needed for a "civilized society."
Fifteen years later, his critics accuse the former KGB spy of sacrificing emerging political and economic freedoms to the idea of Soviet-style glory, bringing the country close to economic collapse and international isolation over Ukraine.
Opinion pollsters say his ratings are near record highs and a groundswell of protest is unlikely in the near future. But the financial stability his first spell as president brought — on the back of high energy prices — is threatened by the oil price drop and the ruble's slide against the dollar.