Despite Spotlight, Putin's Heir Still Shadowy

Putin, too, spoke of the primacy of the law in his early years in power and infused his speeches with pledges of fealty to democratic values. Biography, however, proved a better guide to his impulses: A former Soviet spy, he was distrustful of political competition. And if Medvedev has had any concerns about the centralization of power under Putin, he has never voiced them publicly.

The likelihood that Putin will become Medvedev's prime minister has led some to predict that the next president will be a soft-spoken puppet.

"Medvedev will be the glove on the hand of Putin's group," said Dmitry Oreshkin, an independent political analyst in Moscow. "The parliament is loyal to Putin. The security services are loyal to Putin. The mass media is Putin's. Any independent step by Medvedev will be considered a declaration of war on the current elite, and they will strike back."

Others, however, see a new beginning.

"Behind his external intelligence and mildness, there is a very strong character," Narusova said. "He is very purposeful. It's ridiculous to hear that Putin is going to rule and that Medvedev is going to fulfill his orders.

"I would like to note," she continued, "that from his entire circle, which consists of both hawks and liberals, Putin picked the most liberal figure."

Medvedev has never served in the military and, unlike many of Putin's other intimates, has no background in the security services. He speaks of a Russia that is great and demands respect, but with none of the slashing vim of a Putin speech.

"The university, with all its traditions, is his cradle," said Igor Bunin, head of the Center for Political Technologies in Moscow. "His challenge is to lead Russia into the group of civilized countries. This idea is more important to Medvedev than the greatness of the country alone."

Medvedev was born in September 1965 to intellectuals with modest places in the Soviet hierarchy. "Both received degrees with honors, but their careers somehow didn't take off," he has recalled of his parents. His father was a physics professor, and his mother taught Russian as a foreign language.

Medvedev attended a local public school in Leningrad, where he met his future wife, Svetlana, in seventh grade. They now have a 12-year-old son, Ilya.

Medvedev's memories of the Soviet past, as he told Itogi magazine, include his dreams of getting a pair of Levi's or Wrangler bluejeans or a copy of "The Wall," by the rock band Pink Floyd. He remains a fan of the kind of driving, grandiose rock performed by groups such as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. His latest passion is his iPhone.

In 1982, he entered Leningrad State University's law school -- traditionally a path to the security services, the diplomatic service and the Soviet ministries. Other graduates of the school include Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin and Putin, who was recruited by the KGB in his senior year.