Some things don't change - A peek underneath the old iron curtain

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Minitimer Shaimiev during a happy moment

In March 2010, Minitimer Shaimiev, the two-decade figurehead of Tatarstan, resigned when prompted by the federal centre. It was the end of an era, locals thought, yet eight months on the Tatar President has yet to leave the building. Oleg Pavlov wonders whether obedient subordination and quiet diplomacy has allowed Shaimiev to avoid the fate of his opposite number in Moscow, Yuri Luzkhov.
Some things don't change. Read this well written article here