Around 2,000 revelers streamed into trendy Moscow nightclub Rai, which means "paradise" in Russian, for Sunday night's "Putin Party" to celebrate the macho prime minister, who has hinted that he could run for president again in 2012. "This is for Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin), who is the coolest, the most respected man in all of Russia," organizer Andreas Lobzhanidze, clad in a pink shirt with Putin's picture on it framed by flowers, shouted to the crowd.

Dancers writhed with signs saying "I want the prime minister" as an electronic rendition of "Blueberry Hill" blasted out a song now associated in Russia with Putin, after he belted out the classic at a charity event in December. Promoters said the party was to merely celebrate Putin - whose face wearing sunglasses was depicted on waiters' t-shirts - and not to ask him to run for president again.

"He's just so great. He is closer to the Russian people than any leader has ever been," pop singer and stylist Sergei Zverev told Reuters.