Russian President Dmitry Medvedev turns 45

On the eve of his birthday, Medvedev arrived in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on a working visit and has no public engagements for today, 'Rossiya 24' channel reported quoting Kremlin sources.

Medvedev became the youngest head of Russian state in over 100 years when he assumed the top Kremlin job in May 2008 at the age of 42. He still remains among the five youngest heads of states and governments in the world along with British Prime Minister David Cameron. According to Newsru website, top bureaucrats panicked by Medvedev's anti-corruption drive are afraid to give him expensive birthday present.

Governor of Kirov region Nikita Belykh said he will send birthday greetings to Medvedev on twitter and 'work harder'. Firebrand leader of ultra-nationalist LDPR Vladimir Zhirinovsky said he will send birthday greetings to Medvedev by telegram on behalf of his party, but no birthday present as his party was in opposition.

However, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has already picked a gift for Medvedev. "It would be a surprise," Putin's spokesman said. Meanwhile, popular weekly 'Ogonyok' has published an article based on Medvedev's quotes and has highlighted the one in which the Russian president says that in the years of power he has not become a 'political animal' addicted to publicity.

Medvedev, who had launched a drive to humanise the Russian legislative system in the wake of several high profile custodial deaths, on the eve of his birthday has sent a bill to the Parliament allowing release of terminally ill suspects from pre-trial detention centres on bail.