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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, center, gestures surrounded by microphone booms as he speaks to the media after a national call-in TV show in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Putin said Thursday the results of Russia's parliamentary election reflected the people's will, and that the opposition had alleged vote fraud purely to strengthen its position. "The results of this election undoubtedly reflect the real balance of power in the country," he said, speaking in a national call-in TV show. "It's very good that United Russia has preserved its leading position." He added that a drop in support for his party was a natural result of the global financial crisis of 2008 that has taken its toll on the country.(AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)