Russia's Fires May Have Strengthened Putin

Political analysts say Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev handled the wildfire emergency poorly. Timberland, villages, and a naval base were destroyed as officials in Moscow initially failed to act and their local subordinates were reluctant to take charge, says Nikolai Petrov, an analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center. “All decisions are made and all commands are issued at the top, so everyone was waiting for orders from the Prime Minister.”

RIA Novosti // Sep. 03, 2010 - 06:24 GMT