In modern Russia there are no free elections, therefore the political elite is almost constant.

Photo: Valentina Matvienko, Mayor of St. Petersburg, attends the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 17, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Global business leaders have gathered in Russia for the three-day conference. (Photo by Alexander Aleshkin/Epsilon/Getty Images)

Alejandro Simon of Spain prepares to serve during their Preliminary Phase Pool E match against Canada during the VISA FIVB Beach Volleyball International at Horse Guards Parade on August 10, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

MAKS (Russian: МАКС, Russian: Международный авиационно-космический салон, International Aviation and Space Salon) is The International Air Show took place near Moscow, Russia on Zhukovskiy LII air field on 16-21 August 2011.

MAKS – 2011 provides experts and businessmen a rare opportunity to establish contacts at various levels, further development of R&D and production cooperation and search for new business partners.

The International Garden Photographer of the Year has announced the winner of their Black & White Photo Project 2019. Here: Blue Tit, Criccieth, Wales. (Photo by Alan Price/The International Garden Photographer of the Year)

An officer of the Afghan border police throws an assault rifle to a policeman participating in a military exercise on the outskirts of Herat, Afghanistan, Monday, September 7, 2015. Twelve female and seventy male border police personnel participated in the military exercise near the border with Iran in Herat province. (Photo by Hoshang Hashimi/AP Photo)

Elfyn Evans of Great Britain and Daniel Barritt of Great Britain compete in their M-Sport WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC during Day One of the WRC Australia on September 11, 2015 in Coffs Harbour, Australia. (Photo by Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images)

Members of the “Exit Point” amateur rope-jumping group jump from a 44-metre high (144-ft) waterpipe bridge in the Siberian Taiga area outside Krasnoyarsk, September 13, 2015. Rope-jumping, an extreme sport, involves jumping from a high point using an advanced leverage system combining mountaineering and rope safety equipment. (Photo by Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)