Current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is trying to win the post he held between 1999 and 2008 . Thousands candidates are competing for Moscow 's top job . The president is entitled to stay in office for six years following rule changes in between 1999 and 2008 . He has been a dominant force in Russian politics for more than a decade but his popularity has suffered recent setbacks . Although Putin is likely to win , CNN 's Russia correspondent Vladimir Putin says he can expect continued dissent .
Current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is trying to win the post he held between 1999 and 2008 . Thousands candidates are competing for Moscow 's top job . The president is entitled to stay in office for six years following rule changes in between 1999 and 2008 . Although Putin is likely to win , CNN 's Russia correspondent Vladimir Putin says he can expect continued dissent .