Russian President Vladimir Putin has a collection of watches worth almost six times his official annual salary of £72,000, it was reported.

Ukrainian and Russian security services have uncovered a group plotting an assassination attempt on Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the state-run Channel One reported.

There will be no portraits of Russian Prime Minister and presidential frontrunner Vladimir Putin on campaign posters ahead of the March 4 polls, as he was quite "well known", an official has said.

State control over businesses should be restricted, Russian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin said in an article published on his election website and the Vedomosti business daily.