Public image of Vladimir Putin to the reality of Putin's modest physical stature, his height being officially reported as 5'7", and some of the activities used to promote his virile prowess have been criticised for involving deception or being completely staged. Notable examples of Putin's macho adventures include: On 11 December 2010, at a concert organized for a children's charity in Saint Petersburg, Putin sang "Blueberry Hill" with Maceo Parker's jazz band and played a little piano of it and of the Russian patriotic song "" from his favourite spy movie "The Shield and the Sword". After that he took part in singing of a
Political career of Vladimir Putin role in estimating the effectiveness of activity of regional authority still belongs to President of the Russian Federation." Putin was barred from a third term by the Constitution. First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was elected his successor. On 8 May 2008, only a day after handing the presidency to Medvedev, Putin was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, maintaining his political dominance. The Great Recession hit the Russian economy especially hard, interrupting the flow of cheap Western credit and investments. This coincided with tension in relationships with the EU and the U.S. following the 2008 South Ossetia war, in which