Read more Vladimir V. Zhirinovsky stories on Newserhttp://www.newser.com/taggrid/24548/vladimir-v-zhirinovsky.htmlhttp://img1-cdn.newser.com/images/newser-black250x40.gifhttp://www.newser.com/2012 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorThu, 24 May 2012 22:44:14 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/20240/heir-not-just-putins-puppet.htmlPeter Fearon<img src='http://img1-cdn.newser.com/getimage.aspx?mediaid=78742&width=45&height=45&crop=Y&updateddate=20110401021201' border='0' />The man hand picked by Vladimir Putin to be his successor and a virtually certain victor in this Sunday's election has been portrayed in the West as the Russian president's personal puppet. But Dmitri Medvedev, who plans to appoint Putin as his prime minister, may be more independent, reform-minded and...Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and his likely successor, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)http://www.newser.com/story/20240/heir-not-just-putins-puppet.htmlThu, 28 Feb 2008 03:16:10 CST