Russia is to begin voting on constitutional changes that could potentially leave Vladimir Putin in power for the rest of his life.
The BBC reports that the main changes to be voted on are: resetting the clock so that Putin can remain President after 2024; and giving Putin the power to nominate top judges (subject to parliamentary approval).
Opposition activist Alexei Navalny has said the changes will allow Putin to be "president for life" but Putin himself claims that the changes are necessary as they will keep the country stable, adding that he needs to have the option of running for president again when his current term ends in four years' time.
"Otherwise I know that in two years, instead of working normally at all levels of the state, all eyes will be on the search for potential successors," he said in an interview earlier this week.