ince Tsarist times, creating a successful political succession has always been,a challenge for Russia. Managing the transition from one autocratic leader,to another can be fraught with tension, instability, and danger. At the age,Sof 67, President Vladimir Putin has begun to face the difficult decisions,necessary for a transfer of power that ensures the preservation of his legacy and financial empire, as well as his personal safety and that of his family. Two weeks after he was sworn in as presi