Putin arrives in Yekaterinburg to attend United Russia conference

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has arrived in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, where he is expected to attend a regional conference of the ruling United Russia party. The forum that opened on Wednesday is dedicated to working out a development strategy for the Urals Federal District for the next ten years. The event will for the first time also gather members of the All-Russia People's Front, a new association that analysts say Putin created in a bid to head off a potentially damaging poor showing by United Russia at the December elections. Putin announced the formation of the People's Front in early May, saying it would broaden United Russia's electoral base with "non-party people," including trade unions, NGOs, business associations and youth groups.