Kremlin says Putin's wealth 11 percent more than President Medvedev

Moscow, Apr.7 (ANI): As Russia's Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, earns 11 per cent more than President Dmitry Medvedev, says a Kremlin declaration. n 2008 Putin earned 4.6 million rouble (94,000 pounds), 11 per cent more than the 4.14 million roubles declared by Medvedev, statement's posted on their respective web sites showed.

Both men earn over 18 times Russia's average wage of 230,000 roubles per year, reports The Telegraph.

Medvedev has the larger apartment, a 368-square-metre Moscow residence that dwarfs Putin's 77-square-metre flat in Saint Petersburg, the declarations showed. But both men spend most of their time in their palatial state residences.

Putin also owns a garage, two classic cars, a trailer and a 1,500 square metre plot of land, his declaration said. He also has share holdings with a nominal value of 230,000 roubles.

Medvedev and his wife have bank deposits worth just under 3 million roubles and 4,700 square metres of land. His wife has two car parking spaces and a Volkswagen Golf.

The declarations were the first under a new anti-corruption law introduced by Medvedev in December that requires senior officials to make annual declarations of their family income and property.

Corruption is a way of life for many Russians at every level of society - from small bribes paid to traffic policemen or schools to kickbacks paid to senior officials who hold sway over Russia's vast natural resources.

Successive Kremlin leaders have tried, unsuccessfully, to stamp it out.

Opposition figures have ridiculed earlier declarations of Putin's wealth, suggesting he has vast secret share holdings, a claim he has denied. (ANI)