Pavel Borodin smiles as he speaks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, January 2001.

Vladimir Putin invites Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin for talks during their meeting in Moscow, January 2001.

Vladimir Putin congratulates Boris Yeltsin on his birthday at Central Clinical hospital in Moscow, January 2001.

Vladimir Putin speaks at a conference on housing and utilities problems in Tomsk, February 2001.

Vladimir Putin visits the Museum of cosmonauts in Star City outside of Moscow, April 2001.

Vladimir Putin looks at the head of the state television company and former NTV general director Oleg Dobrodeyev, April 2001.

Vladimir Putin watches the Victory Day parade at Moscow's Red Square, May 2001.

Vladimir Putin speaks to an unidentified representative as he inspects a MIG-29 jet fighter at an airshow at the Zhukovsky airport outside Moscow, August 2001.

Vladimir Putin kisses the hand of Nina Mikhalskaya, honorable professor of foreign literature during an awards ceremony during his visit to the Moscow Pedagogical State University, September 2001.

Vladimir Putin is welcomed by Russia's prosecutor general Vladimir Ustinov, February 2002.

Vladimir Putin lays wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow, February 2002.