Special Report: Russia presidential election 2008     　

    MOSCOW, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian presidential candidate Dmitry Medvedev pledged to establish "friendly and partnership relations" with incumbent President Vladimir Putin, hours after official figures show that he has won the state's fifth presidential election.

    "I would say that my relations with Putin should be based on several elements. The first element is that these should be fully friendly and partnership relations based on the fact that we have been working together for a long time and trust each other," he told a press conference in Moscow early Monday morning.

First Deputy Prime Minister and presidential candidate Dmitry Medvedev gestures during a news conference at his election headquarters in Moscow March 3, 2008. Medvedev has won the country's fifth presidential election by a landslide, official figures released on Monday showed. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Medvedev, 42, said he is certain that his "efficient and full-fledged team work" with Putin "could bring interesting results to the country and become a rather positive element in the development" of the nation.

    Putin has agreed to take the post of prime minister in Medvedev's cabinet.

    Medvedev, who has won some 70 percent of accounted ballots, refused to redistribute power between president and prime minister if he is elected, as the country's youngest ever head of state.

    "These powers are stipulated by the Constitution and current legislation. No one is going to change them," Medvedev said, noting the president is legitimate to head foreign policy.

    "Proceeding from the configuration of the authorities, which has already been proposed, president has his own powers and prime minister has his own powers," Interfax news agency quoted Medvedev as saying.

    Medvedev also pledged to stick to Putin's policy if elected.

    "It seems to me that this is the direct continuation of the policy that has been pursued by President Putin," he was cited as saying.

Official figures: Medvedev wins presidential election

    MOSCOW, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Dmitry Medvedev, first deputy prime minister of Russian President Vladimir Putin's cabinet, has won the country's fifth presidential election by a landslide, official figures showed on Monday.

    Medvedev secured his overwhelming victory by gaining 69.61 percent of the vote, with 81 percent of the ballots counted, Central Election Commission (CEC) figures indicated.  Full story

Medvedev leads Russian presidential election

    MOSCOW, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Dmitry Medvedev, first prime minister of Russian President Putin's cabinet, won nearly 70 percent of the accounted ballots in Sunday's presidential election, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

    The CEC had accounted 65 percent of the received ballots in which Medvedev won 69.08 percent. Full story

What pushes Medvedev to Russia's presidential post?

    MOSCOW, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Dmitry Medvedev, 42, won by landslide in Russia's presidential vote on Sunday, according to official preliminary results and exit polls.

    The mild-looking former law professor and senior cabinet member is sure to replace incumbent President Vladimir Putin as the country's third president. Full story

Putin hails Medvedev's victory in presidential race

    MOSCOW, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed on Sunday night the victory of Dmitry Medvedev in the presidential race.

    "This victory will be a guarantee of maintaining the course we have chosen together and been implementing together. The course will continue," Putin told a celebration of Medvedev's supporters at the Red Square. Full story