I am driving along the Moscow embankment on the way to the “castle” as my four year old describes it, the Kremlin.

The ice has melted on the river.
And the sun is out which in Moscow in winter is so rare I am desperate to see some sunshine.

I park my car and walk past St. Basils Cathedral and honestly I don’t want to leave Red Square because its warm and hundreds of tourists are smiling and taking pictures.  Spring in Russia, finally.

The guards at Spasky Gate, the main entrance know I am coming, they check my press ID and I am led by a security man inside the Kremlin grounds.

Its a social call to see some Kremlin representatives who would probably rather not be written about, so I won’t.

But the message I get is this- “why do you press guys keep saying Russian President Medvedev is only a shadow of Prime Minister Putin”?
Its a long conversation about how Medvedev is separate and distinct and Putin does not influence the Kremlin the way everyone thinks.
Its hard to believe but that’s their position.

So let’s see.  If Medvedevs people want to deliver that message maybe Putin is fading as a Russian leader? Maybe he is not clinging to power?  Maybe a new generation of Russian leaders more open and liberal and with some respect of democracy and free speech are coming to power?

We will all wait for Spring to come to Kremlin, but it sure seems like a long dull political winter inside those walls. People who watch Russia closely are all waiting hopefully to be surprised by President Medvedev.