Back to the future: At the annual convention of the United Russia party this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that his political mentor and predecessor, Vladimir Putin, would be running to return to the presidency in 2012. As he is almost guaranteed to win, Putin can now theoretically rule Russia until 2024, when he will be 71 years old.

The announcement ended years of speculation about whether Putin would return to the presidency, speculation that began almost immediately after he announced he was stepping down -- in compliance with constitutionally mandated term limits -- in 2008. It also marks a transition point for one of the most intriguing partnerships in modern politics.

Seeing double: In a political experiment unique in Russian and world history, Russia has been ruled for the last three years by two men: a technocratic lawyer turned businessman turned president, and a KGB veteran turned president turned astonishingly powerful prime minister. The contrast between their styles was obvious from the beginning, but has only been reinforced by the Kremlin PR machine's taste for photographic pageantry.

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Rising star: In 2005, Putin appointed Medvedev, a colleague from the St. Petersburg mayor's office years earlier, as first deputy prime minister. The move was widely and correctly seen as a sign that Medvedev was being groomed as the president's successor. Medvedev's ascension was also interpreted by many observers as a victory for the more liberal "St. Petersburg lawyers" faction within the Russian government over the hard-line security-service veterans who tended to surround Putin.

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Top dog: With Putin constitutionally barred from running for reelection in 2008, Medvedev ran as his chosen successor, winning handily over the marginalized opposition.

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Big brother is watching: But Putin would hardly be fading from the scene. Before the election, Medvedev promised that his predecessor would be appointed prime minister, allowing him to retain influence over government policy.

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Buddies in chief: Russian voters and international observers were uncertain as to how the unorthodox arrangement would work and whether Medvedev would be anything more than Putin's puppet. At least initially, Medvedev appeared to demonstrate some independence, launching an anti-corruption campaign targeting the culture of graft and bribery that had flourished during Putin's presidency.

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Crash and burn: Medvedev's first year on the job was a dramatic one for Russia. A precipitous drop in global oil prices devastated the country's economy, threatening a decade of resource-based growth.

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Warpath: In the summer of 2008, Russia responded to attempts by Georgia to consolidate its control over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by launching a massive invasion of the country. Reports from the time indicated it was Putin, not Medvedev, who was directing the country's military strategy during the war.

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Special relationship: As part of his "reset" strategy, U.S. President Barack Obama has worked to cultivate a relationship with Medvedev rather than with the often bluntly anti-American Putin, culminating in the signing of the New START nuclear disarmament treaty in 2010.

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Heading downhill? While the relationship between Putin and Medvedev has often appeared fraught, with public clashes over issues ranging from corruption to foreign policy to opinions on Russia's Soviet history, the Russian government media machine has seemed to be working overtime to portray the two men as close friends, staging numerous photo-ops of the two men enjoying each other's company -- often engaged in a variety of summer and winter sports.

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Best face forward: While Putin is generally seen as more influential in shaping Russian government policy, foreign leaders have often preferred dealing with Medvedev, who is seen as more accommodating.

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Ground commander: The summer wildfires of 2010 offered a study in contrasts between the two leaders. While Putin was on the ground inspecting the damage, meeting with victims, and at least appearing to direct the rescue effort, Medvedev surveyed the situation from his summer residence in Sochi.

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Confidants… At times, the partnership seems to perfectly suit the two leaders, with Medvedev acting as a more presentable face for Russia abroad, while Putin directs policy at home.

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… or competitors: But, at times, tension seems to seep up from beneath the surface. This March, for instance, Medvedev sharply criticized his prime minister for comparing the NATO intervention in Libya to the Crusades.

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Breaking away: Of course, nothing can get in the way of the friendly photo-ops.

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Badminton, anyone? It's possible they may be running out of sports, though.

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The coming storm: Speculation over their future plans has dogged the two for much of this year. When asked in June whether he planned to return to the presidency, Putin would only say, "It's too early for me to become a pensioner."

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Gone fishin': Even as speculation raged over their political future, the two men found time for some R&R in the Astrakhan region, about 800 miles south of Moscow. On Aug. 16, the two fished in the Volga River.

The Life Aquatic: Putin's solo maritime exploits were somewhat more dramatic. On Aug. 10, he went scuba diving at an archeological site in the Black Sea and -- naturally -- came back to the surface with two priceless amphorae.

Knight rider: Putin went hell for leather on Aug. 29, appearing at a nationalist biker rally in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Speaking at the rally, Putin extolled the contribution Soviet motorcyclists made during World War II.

The quiet life: In contrast to the theatrics of his prime minister, Medvedev kept a low profile in the run-up to last week's announcement. Here, he drinks tea as he visits a hostel at the Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow.

 

Workin' at the car wash: Affection for the prime minister can sometimes take some very strange forms. Here, young women from an online fan club called "I really like Putin" set up a car wash (for Russian cars only) in front of Moscow State University on July 21.

Give me an M! Not to be outdone, members of an Internet community supporting Medvedev practiced yoga in cheerleader outfits on Red Square on Sept. 22. The president is a well-known yoga enthusiast.

I'm back: "I want to say directly: An agreement over what to do in the future was reached between us several years ago," Putin told his supporters on Sept. 24. While his return to the presidency answers one major mystery about Russian politics, it's still an open question as to whether Medvedev will stick around to retake his former seat as prime minister. They're all smiles for now, but can Vova and Dima continue to work together smoothly? (In one early sign of friction, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said he would resign rather than serve under Medvedev and was summarily dismissed.) One thing's for sure: Russia's leading pair will continue to be interesting to watch.