Russians Abandon Putin's Party: Exit Poll

Vladimir Putin's ruling party has suffered a big drop in support following parliamentary elections in Russia, exit polls have shown.

Early results announced on state TV indicated the United Russia party would win the Duma election - but with only 48.5% of the votes, compared with 64.3% in 2007.

As a result, it was not yet clear if the party would even hold on to a majority.

One exit poll suggested United Russia, which has dominated the lower house chamber since 2003, would only claim 220 seats.

President Dmitry Medvedev said: "In any case, taken the more complicated configuration of the Duma, we will have to enter in to coalitions and agreements (with other parties) on certain issues.

"This is normal, this is what parliamentarianism and democracy are about."

If the numbers are confirmed, it is a considerable blow to Mr Putin as the election was widely seen as a test of his personal authority before his planned return to the presidency next year.

Mr Putin remains by far the most popular politician in the vast country of more than 140 million people, but there have been signs that some Russians are wearying of his cultivated strong-man image after 12 years in power.

"United Russia has lost touch with reality," said a 30-year-old history teacher in St Petersburg who gave his name only as Alexander. He was planning to switch his vote to the Communists.

Mr Putin is still almost certain to win the March 4 presidential election and could extend his rule until 2024 if he wins the maximum two more terms.

The 59-year-old ex-spy looked stern and said only that he hoped for good results for United Russia as he walked past supporters to vote in Moscow.

The result was also a blow for Mr Medvedev, who is standing down to allow Mr Putin to resume the presidency he ceded to him in 2008.

Mr Medvedev, who would take over the prime minister's office from Mr Putin next year, had led the election campaign. His position could now be in question.

Opposition parties complained of election irregularities in parts of the country spanning 9,000km (5,600 miles).

A Western-financed electoral watchdog and two liberal media outlets said their sites had been shut down by hackers intent on silencing allegations of violations.

Sites belonging to the Ekho Moskvy radio station, online news portal Slon.ru and the watchdog Golos went down.

"Massive cyber attacks are taking place on the sites of Golos and the map showing violations," Golos said on Twitter.

Mr Medvedev has dismissed talk of electoral fraud.

Supporters say Mr Putin saved Russia during his 2000-2008 presidency, restoring Kremlin control over sprawling regions and reviving an economy mired in post-Soviet chaos.

His use of military force to crush a rebellion in the southern Muslim region of Chechnya also won him broad support, and security was tight there on election day.

Opposition parties say the election was unfair from the start because of authorities' support for United Russia with cash and television air time.

Mr Putin has no serious personal rivals as Russia's leader. He remains the ultimate arbiter between the clans which control the world's biggest energy producer.

But his party has had to fight against opponents who have branded it a collection of "swindlers and thieves" and combat a growing sense of unease among voters at Mr Putin's grip on power.

"I shall not vote. I shall cross out all the parties on the list and write: 'Down with the party of swindlers and thieves'," said Nikolai Markovtsev, an independent deputy in the Vladivostok city legislature on the Pacific seaboard.