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After turmoil in the banking system and a stock market crash slashed the fortunes of Russia's wealthy elite, ordinary Russians are beginning to feel the impact of rising inflation, a weakening ruble and growing wage arrears and layoffs.

Putin hosted a call-in program, where the questions were carefully screened. Putin answered some questions on the economic crisis. Some analysts said the session was designed to set the stage for Putin to take back his old job as president in an early election, perhaps next year.

Putin had tough words for Russia's neighbors, threatening to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in a dispute over gas prices and accusing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili of starting a war by attacking the separatist region of South Ossetia.

Asked by a caller about French media reports that he had called for Saakashvili to be "hanged by one of his body parts" in a conversation with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Putin paused as the audience laughed. Then, with a sly grin, he replied: "Why by just one part?"

Now we know why Russian bloggers are kept in the dark and act the way they do.

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