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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Putin accepts cabinet resignation | Putin accepts cabinet resignation |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and his entire government, the Kremlin has said. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and his entire government, the Kremlin has said. |
| Mr Fradkov offered to resign, citing "approaching significant political events", said Tass news agency. | Mr Fradkov offered to resign, citing "approaching significant political events", said Tass news agency. |
| He said he wanted to give President Putin "full freedom of decision including staff decisions", Tass said. | He said he wanted to give President Putin "full freedom of decision including staff decisions", Tass said. |
| Analysts say deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov could now become PM, six months before a presidential election. | |
| Mr Putin has asked Mr Fradkov to stay on as acting prime minister until the Duma approves a new one, Russian NTV said. | Mr Putin has asked Mr Fradkov to stay on as acting prime minister until the Duma approves a new one, Russian NTV said. |
| "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. |
| Path to power | Path to power |
| Elections to the Duma, or parliament, are to be held in December. | Elections to the Duma, or parliament, are to be held in December. |
| Mr Putin is barred by Russia's constitution from running for a third term as president. | Mr Putin is barred by Russia's constitution from running for a third term as president. |
| Whoever becomes the new prime minister is expected to be the clear front-runner to replace Mr Putin in March, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow. | |
| Mr Ivanov may be following Mr Putin's path to power: then-President Boris Yeltsin named Mr Putin prime minister in 1999. He was elected president a few months later. | Mr Ivanov may be following Mr Putin's path to power: then-President Boris Yeltsin named Mr Putin prime minister in 1999. He was elected president a few months later. |
| None of Russia's political heavyweights has yet declared his candidacy and Mr Putin has not yet publicly endorsed anyone. | None of Russia's political heavyweights has yet declared his candidacy and Mr Putin has not yet publicly endorsed anyone. |
| But speculation in Russian media is running high that Mr Ivanov is being groomed for the presidency and he has been seen frequently in Mr Putin's company in recent months. | But speculation in Russian media is running high that Mr Ivanov is being groomed for the presidency and he has been seen frequently in Mr Putin's company in recent months. |
| In February, Mr Putin moved Mr Ivanov from his position as defence minister, making him first deputy prime minister. | |
| In the late 1990s, Mr Ivanov worked under Mr Putin in the FSB, the internal intelligence agency, and they are believed to be close. | |
| A possible competitor for the presidency is the other deputy prime minister, Dmitri Medvedev. |