Criticism and protests mar Medvedev's election win

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kremlin candidate Dmitry Medvedev sweptto an easy victory as Russia's next president but Westerncriticism of the vote and scattered street protests took someof the shine off his win.

Medvedev, a 42-year-old lawyer, pledged to continue thepolicies of his mentor President Vladimir Putin after takingjust over 70 percent of the votes in Sunday's election, acontest criticised by opponents as devoid of real competition.

Small groups of protesters took to the streets in Moscowand St Petersburg to demonstrate. But most Russians did notexpress concern at the outcome, which some hope will prolongthe economic boom they have enjoyed under Putin.

In Moscow, protesters were outnumbered by a few thousandpro-Kremlin activists, who marched peacefully on the U.S.embassy shouting pro-Putin slogans and Medvedev campaignchants.

Western governments mostly avoided direct criticism of theelections, preferring to stress their willingness to work withMedvedev and their hope that he would respect democracy andfreedom, which critics say have eroded under Putin's rule.

"The United States looks forward to working with him,"White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. "It's in our mutualinterest for Russia and the United States to work together onareas of common interest such as non-proliferation,counterterrorism and combating transnational crime."

Germany and France made clear the vote did not meet theircriteria for a democratic election, but alongside Britain andthe European Union they congratulated Medvedev on a victorythey said appeared to reflect the will of the Russian people.

"You have set yourself a goal to push ahead with themodernisation of Russia," German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrotein a message to Medvedev.

Medvedev will be the youngest Russian leader since TsarNicholas II when he is sworn in on May 7, and the country'sthird president since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

PUTIN'S SHADOW

Putin, a former KGB spy who is by far Russia's most popularpolitician, has said he will serve as prime minister underMedvedev. This ushers in an unusual era of double-headed powerin a country long used to a single strong leader.

"I think (my presidency) will be a direct continuation,"said Medvedev, referring to Putin's eight years in office -- aperiod marked by a concentration of power in the Kremlin and awillingness to stand up to the West on foreign policy.

In a sign Russia would not soften its assertive energypolicy, state-controlled Gazprom cut supplies to Ukraine by aquarter on Monday. Gazprom, whose board is chaired by Medvedev,said supplies to the rest of Europe would not be affected.

Medvedev has spent most of his career in Putin's shadow. Helargely avoided campaigning altogether and made few stumpspeeches, leaving analysts largely in the dark about the extentto which he might diverge from his mentor once in the Kremlin.

"The difference between a Putin Kremlin and a MedvedevKremlin is likely to involve more change in style thansubstance, but that itself can actually be rather important,"said Roland Nash, head of research at Renaissance Capital.

Referring to widespread perceptions that Medvedev's legaltraining and younger age may make him less abrasive than Putin,Nash said: "A less combative Kremlin with the same focus ongenerating economic growth as the principal strategy for aresurgent Russia should be welcomed."

Election observers were less generous.

"DEGRADATION"

Andreas Gross, head of the only Western monitoring mission,told reporters the result broadly reflected voters' wishes butsaid "there was not freedom" in Sunday's vote.

Russian independent observers Golos said the poll wasmarred by official pressure to boost voter turnout, ballotstuffing and multiple voting -- charges which were immediatelyrejected by the Central Election Commission (CEC).

"Russia's new political system born in 1989 is now in astate of degradation and has been thrown back to Soviet times,"Andrei Buzin, a Golos expert, told a news conference.

CEC chief Vladimir Churov, an old university classmate ofPutin's, said nobody had produced any convincing evidence ofserious violations and scorned calls for greater transparency.

"What should I do, should I make CEC members work naked?"Churov said in televised remarks.

Riot police in Moscow detained dozens of activists at abanned demonstration and dragged protesters to waiting policebuses. Some of the protesters lit flares spreading smoke acrossa central square, shouting: "Your election is a farce."

In St Petersburg, about 2,000 activists chanted"revolution, revolution," and "Russia without Putin".

(Click on the following link to see Reuters blog on theRussian election:http://blogs.reuters.com/uk/2008/01/23/operation-successor-russias-2008-elections/ )

(Additional reporting by Christian Lowe, Guy Faulconbridge,Conor Sweeney, Chris Baldwin and Maria Golovnina; editing byKeith Weir)