The eight-year-plus Yeltsin rule left behind a series of complicated problems for Russia. Since he took power, Putin has
dropped empty ‘democratic” slogans and instituted “controllable democracy” in the socio-
political field with presidential power as the core, providing powerful guarantee for socio-political development and economic rejuvenation. After four years and more of governance, compared with the Yeltsin period, the Russian political field underwent an obvious change, forming a
relatively harmonious social and political atmosphere, a relatively united elite group, a centralized central-local tie, and a strong “Russia's Party Of Power”. With the start of Putin's second presidency, the handover of state supreme power became a focus of world attention. While his series of reform measures were generally crowned with success, some unfavorable factors and uncertainties exerted negative influence on future Russian political development. The only thing that could possibly bring shocks to Russia under “controllable democracy” would be challenges from within the elite group and the bureaucracy. Future Russian political leaders would most probably come from the ruling group.