Russia's Orthodox Church has confirmed its increasingly close ties with the state by unreservedly welcoming plans for the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, to serve as prime minister alongside the man nominated to succeed him as president when his second term ends next March, writes Jonathan Luxmoore. "I think this would be a great blessing for Russia," said Patriarch Alexei II. "It might be difficult for a man who was number one in the country and its national leader to become head of Government in the Russian Federation. However, having known Vladimir Vladimirovitch [Mr Putin] for years, I can acknowledge that ambition and pride have never prevailed in his activities."

The Orthodox leader was speaking after the nomination of Dmitri Medvedev, a practising Orthodox Christian, to take over as president next March, allowing Mr Putin to stay on as prime minister and, observers say, effectively hold on to power.

In an interview with Russia's NTV, Patriarch Alexei said that he believed the arrangement would help maintain Mr Putin's policies, as well as his "huge efforts" to promote "our homeland, its might and the development of the good of its people". Mr Medvedev was nominated by Mr Putin's United Russia Party and three other pro-Kremlin parties.

Minority Christian groups, including Russia's small Catholic Church, have expressed concern over rights and freedoms under Mr Putin, whose United Russia Party gained a constitutional majority in the 450-seat State Duma in the 2 December elections.