TWO leading politicians delivered their new year's greetings to the Russian public this week. One was the president, Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for 18 years and is planning to stay for at least another six following an election due in March. The other was Alexei Navalny (pictured), the only truly independent opposition leader. He is also the person who poses the biggest challenge to Mr Putin, and has consequently been barred from standing. Both men were speaking using the Kremlin as a backdrop; but in Mr Navalny's case, it was drawn on a board.
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