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| Putin names next prime minister | Putin names next prime minister |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the resignation of PM Mikhail Fradkov and nominated a financial crime investigator to replace him. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the resignation of PM Mikhail Fradkov and nominated a financial crime investigator to replace him. |
| Victor Zubkov, head of the federal financial monitoring service, is a relative unknown in Russian politics. | Victor Zubkov, head of the federal financial monitoring service, is a relative unknown in Russian politics. |
| The change marks a major political shake-up ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. | The change marks a major political shake-up ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. |
| The lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, is set to vote on Mr Zubkov's nomination on Friday. | The lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, is set to vote on Mr Zubkov's nomination on Friday. |
| Mr Fradkov offered to resign earlier Wednesday, citing "approaching significant political events", said Tass news agency. | Mr Fradkov offered to resign earlier Wednesday, citing "approaching significant political events", said Tass news agency. |
| Mr Putin asked Mr Fradkov to stay on as acting prime minister until his replacement is confirmed. | Mr Putin asked Mr Fradkov to stay on as acting prime minister until his replacement is confirmed. |
| "We all have to think together how to build a structure of power so that it better corresponds to the pre-election period and prepares the country for the period after the presidential election in March," Mr Putin said in accepting Mr Fradkov's resignation. | "We all have to think together how to build a structure of power so that it better corresponds to the pre-election period and prepares the country for the period after the presidential election in March," Mr Putin said in accepting Mr Fradkov's resignation. |
| Strong platform | Strong platform |
| Elections to the Duma are to be held in December. | Elections to the Duma are to be held in December. |
| VIKTOR ZUBKOV 1941: Born in Arbat village, Sverdlovsk region1965: Graduates from Leningrad Agricultural Institute in economics1967-1985: Works on collective farms in Leningrad regions1985-1991: Works in regional administration1991-1993: Works with Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg city administration1993-2000: Works for federal tax service and tax ministryFrom 2001: Head of financial monitoring service Profile: Viktor Zubkov Mr Putin is barred by Russia's constitution from running for a third term as president in elections in March. | VIKTOR ZUBKOV 1941: Born in Arbat village, Sverdlovsk region1965: Graduates from Leningrad Agricultural Institute in economics1967-1985: Works on collective farms in Leningrad regions1985-1991: Works in regional administration1991-1993: Works with Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg city administration1993-2000: Works for federal tax service and tax ministryFrom 2001: Head of financial monitoring service Profile: Viktor Zubkov Mr Putin is barred by Russia's constitution from running for a third term as president in elections in March. |
| Whoever becomes the new prime minister gains a strong platform from which to campaign to replace Mr Putin, correspondents say. | Whoever becomes the new prime minister gains a strong platform from which to campaign to replace Mr Putin, correspondents say. |
| Russian media had been speculating that First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov - long considered a frontrunner for the presidency - could have been about to be made prime minister. | Russian media had been speculating that First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov - long considered a frontrunner for the presidency - could have been about to be made prime minister. |
| Mr Ivanov worked under Mr Putin in the FSB, the internal intelligence agency, in the 1990s and the two men are believed to be close. | Mr Ivanov worked under Mr Putin in the FSB, the internal intelligence agency, in the 1990s and the two men are believed to be close. |
| Power struggle? | Power struggle? |
| Mr Zubkov's links with Mr Putin go back to the early 1990s, when he was the future president's deputy on the St Petersburg city external relations committee. | |
| But few in Russia believe that Mr Zubkov is now in the running for the presidency, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow. | But few in Russia believe that Mr Zubkov is now in the running for the presidency, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow. |
| Instead, says our correspondent, many analysts believe he has been appointed to ensure a smooth transition between Mr Putin and his successor, whoever that might be. | Instead, says our correspondent, many analysts believe he has been appointed to ensure a smooth transition between Mr Putin and his successor, whoever that might be. |
| Mr Ivanov is one of President Putin's closest alliesNone of Russia's political heavyweights has yet declared his candidacy and Mr Putin has not yet publicly endorsed anyone. | Mr Ivanov is one of President Putin's closest alliesNone of Russia's political heavyweights has yet declared his candidacy and Mr Putin has not yet publicly endorsed anyone. |
| Dmitry Medvedev, the other first deputy prime minister, has also been seen as a possible presidential candidate. | Dmitry Medvedev, the other first deputy prime minister, has also been seen as a possible presidential candidate. |
| The choice of a Mr Zubkov suggests a behind-the-scenes power struggle between "clans" within the Kremlin that are differentiated mainly by their degree of hostility toward the West, says the BBC's Russia analyst Steven Eke. | The choice of a Mr Zubkov suggests a behind-the-scenes power struggle between "clans" within the Kremlin that are differentiated mainly by their degree of hostility toward the West, says the BBC's Russia analyst Steven Eke. |
| White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the choice of leaders was a matter for the people of Russia to decide and that the US "looks forward to continuing its good relations with the Russian government". | White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the choice of leaders was a matter for the people of Russia to decide and that the US "looks forward to continuing its good relations with the Russian government". |