"The elections for the president of Russia are set for March 4, 2012," the Federation Council said in a statement on its website after senators approved the date in a vote called for under the constitution.
Mr Putin, the current prime minister, is expected to reclaim the presidency in the poll, making a dramatic comeback to the Kremlin after his protege President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to a job swap.
The election date will be published in state newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta overnight, the editor Andrei Fedotkin was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying, formally launching the campaign process. Once the date is published, parties will be able to put forward their candidates. They will have until January 18 to submit their documents to the Central Electoral Commission, United Russia said in a statement on its website.
According to The Guardian, Russians have reacted with increasing disdain to Putin's return – something that, under new constitutional amendments, could keep him in power until 2024. His public booing at a Moscow stadium last week broke open the illusion of his sky-high popularity.
Putin is clearly concerned. He failed to show up at an event at the stadium the next day, and issued a tough statement at the closing session of the lower house of parliament this week, warning that political opposition would lead to instability.
"We have a great many uncertainties and risks ahead and in a storm, in a gale, in crisis conditions, it is very important that the whole team works in a co-ordinated way so that the ship does not capsize," Putin told the Duma.
