to sunday the day of the election so we won't be using a lot of numbers here in this program ok eric kraus if i go to you first in madrid reading western media about this election it seems like the russian voter is very unidimensional you do you think there's a typical russian voter and if there is a typical one how would you describe that voter. but i would say the typical russian voter who can use mathematical averages is one who's going to vote for mr putin. we've heard a lot in the western press about how putin was losing his popularity how all the facebook protests in moscow in the demonstrations meant that the regime was on its way out and of course when the polls which i can't give any numbers on but the polls have certainly shown a very substantial rise and that mr putin is going to sweep to victory in the first round so i understand that he is unpopular with some of the foreign powers and perhaps those people who have influence on the foreign press but in russia. overall in the country he remains very popular ok in the studio here with me i mean how would you describe the voter be

to be bob a chair in the studio with me he's an independent political analyst in madrid we go to eric kraus he's an independent asset manager and author of the strategy monthly truth and beauty and in london we cross to jonathan steele he is the international affairs commentator for the guardian and all right gentlemen crossed out rules in effect and that means you can jump in anytime you want also i'd like three remind our panel and my viewers that because of the russian election law we cannot speak specifically about polling numbers as of the twenty seventh to sunday the day of the election so we won't be using a lot of numbers here in this program ok eric kraus if i go to you first in madrid reading western media about this election it seems like the russian voter is very unique dimensional do you think there's a typical russian voter and if there is a typical one how would you describe that voter. well i would say the typical russian voters are going to use mathematical averages is what i'm going to vote for mr putin. we've heard a lot in the western press about how putin was losing his