We describe a three-dimensional autonomous dynamical system, orbits of which determine the metrics of three-dimensional Ricci solitons. In general these are not of gradient type. A careful analysis of the asymptotic behaviour of orbits is required to establish whether the corresponding solitons are complete or otherwise. New examples are found. Special cases include soliton structures on surfaces. In particular, a non-gradient steady soliton is found on an infinite cover of S~(2){two points} whose metric factors then extends to a non-standard C~(2) metric on S~(2).
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