Making forecasts for Russia is uneasy task because of mental differences between minders of team-prevailing and egolitarism–exercising societies: historically-centralized power in Russia will hardly broaden local jurisdiction, as in Australia even shy steps in curbing of local bureaucracy (Nation Water Plan, for instance) meet a wild resistance at states' level.

Perhaps, Gorbachev might be a nice dummy-president for next four years before election-2012, when Putin could bid again for.

De-facto American ownership of Russian oil supply and British dominance in industrial producing must be comprehended as well while considering possible shifts at Russia’s markets, where consuming demand is still enormous.

And widening gap between haves and not-haves in a country with strong practical understanding of social equity does not permit pink-glasses suggestion that continuing growth of corporate benefits will endlessly be supported by local mafia and with decadence on root-grass level