Russian PM Medvedev Defends Record After Putin Warning

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev defended his government’s record in a combative speech to parliament on Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin signaled he may be losing patience with his long-time ally.

There has been speculation for months in the media and among political analysts that Putin, now 60, could make Medvedev a scapegoat if Russia’s economy continues to decline.

Medvedev hit back after unauthorized video footage showed Putin threatening to sack unnamed senior officials over a failure to implement his social spending plans – for which responsibility ultimately lies with Medvedev’s government.

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