Putin was officially nominated as presidential candidate.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was officially nominated as a candidate for next year’s presidential elections in Russia in a decision that was made during the United Russia party congress in Moscow on Sunday.

Putin’s candidacy was supported by all 614 delegates from United Russia and Putin’s All-Russia People's Front movement, Boris Gryzlov, head of the party’s Supreme Council, said earlier in the day.

Russia’s most influential party “United Russia” has unanimously approved Vladimir Putin, who is currently the country’s prime minister, as its candidate for presidency. This happened at the party’s council in Moscow on Sunday. The voting was by secret ballot, but all the 614 people present voted for Mr. Putin.

Vladimir Putin already was Russia’s president from 2000 till 2008. 

The candidature of Mr. Putin has been suggested by Russia’s incumbent President Dmitry Medvedev, and Mr. Putin has agreed.

In his turn, Dmitry Medvedev has agreed to become the prime minister if Mr. Putin becomes the president. Mr. Medvedev also heads “United Russia’s” list for elections to the State Duma (the parliament’s lower house), which will take place on December 4. The presidential elections will take place on March 4, 2012.

“United Russia” was the country’s first party to name its candidate for presidency.