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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Putin names next prime minister | Putin names next prime minister |
| (40 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 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. |
| Path to power | Path to power |
| Elections to the Duma are to be held in December. | Elections to the Duma are to be held in December. |
| VIKTOR ZUBKOV Born: 1941, Sverdlovsk regionEducation: Economist, specialising in agricultureWorked with Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg city administration in early 1990sFrom 1993 to 2000, he worked for the federal tax service and tax ministryFrom 2001: Head of financial monitoring service 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| But Mr Zubkov is also reported to have close ties to Mr Putin, both men having worked for the St Petersburg city administration. | But Mr Zubkov is also reported to have close ties to Mr Putin, both men having worked for the St Petersburg city administration. |