Vladimir Putin Promises Pay Raises to Moscow Police Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin promised hefty pay raises on Tuesday to police officers in Moscow, where opposition forces have been planning additional political protests before the presidential election on March 4. Mr. Putin, a former president, is all but certain to win election to a six-year presidential term, but a series of large demonstrations demanding political change in recent months has him pressing to shore up support among vital interest groups, including the country's powerful security apparatus.