Victor Zubkov
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Posted on 09/12/2007 7:04:58 AM PDT by goldstategop
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.
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Victor Zubkov
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Mike
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
It is a total mystery!
Everything Putin has done over the past several years has been aimed at consolidating power. He desperately wants Russia to become a major player on the world scene and I believe he’s going to attempt that primarily through energy blackmail aimed mostly at Europe. Which is a lot smarter than attempting to do it strictly through military might the way they attempted last time around.
It also seems that on an almost daily basis we’re hearing about some new Russian bomber run or some new super weapon they’ve supposidly developed. And there’s no question as to who’s pulling most of the strings in Iran.
I don’t know exactly what Putin is doing here but I have to believe he’s jockeying to somehow put one of his guys in the presidency or to somehow maintain control after his term expires. It becomes more obvious on a daily basis the old dreams of empire are still alive and kicking.
By MIKE ECKEL, Associated Press Writer
18 minutes ago
MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin dismissed his long-serving prime minister Wednesday and nominated little-known Cabinet official Victor Zubkov to replace him in a surprise move that could put Zubkov in the running to replace Putin next year.
The nomination of Zubkov, who currently oversees the government’s fight against money-laundering, appeared to have caught much of the Russian political elite off-guard.
Putin had been expected to announce in December whom he would back to run for president next year — and Russia’s two first deputy prime ministers — former Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and gas giant Gazprom board chairman Dmitry Medvedev — were widely considered to be the leading contenders.
After dismissing Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov — triggering the government’s automatic dissolution — Putin explained the shakeup was required to “prepare the country” for forthcoming elections. Legislative elections are to be held Dec. 2, and presidential elections are expected three months later.
State Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov backed the 65-year-old Zubkov’s nomination, saying his “life path and professional activities in various fields undoubtedly allow him to lead the Cabinet of the Russian Federation.”
He said the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, could vote on the nomination as early as Friday.
Zubkov’s position in the Cabinet was relatively obscure; the Financial Monitoring Service he headed is an arm of the Finance Ministry that investigated money-laundering.
Zubkov also served under Putin when the two worked in the city administration of St. Petersburg in the early 1990s. Putin has regularly tapped former colleagues from St. Petersburg to head top posts in the government.
Putin is wildly popular among Russians, having brought stability and relative prosperity after the often chaotic presidency of his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin. As a result, whoever is nominated for the presidency by Putin is expected to win easily.
Perhaps he chose a fellow willing to be his perfect puppet...? Just throwin’ that out there.
You beat me too it! :-)
Zubkov’s daughter is married to the Defense Minister - tight little clique there.
Perhaps Putin is going to pull a Chavez — President for life.
That sounds like a spot on analysis.
Putin has shown himself to be an FSB agent and a power grabber. He has killed or intimidated backers of free speech. This is not what Russia needed.
Well he may be unknown to the political junkies but someone might want to ask good old Jeffrey Sachs if he still shares a bank account in Switzerland with Vicky.
Putin’s dissolving the government and putting in his own guys to expand his power.
Russia is a democracy in name only. A DINO. Not to be confused with a Democrat in Name Only...
Excellent. Good for Russia. God bless Putin and God bless Russia.
In slightly unrelated news.
ENGLAND OWNED the Russians tonight on the football pitch.
Take that Putin!
Can you tell us why the UK is harbouring Islamic terroists like Zakayev and criminals like Berezovsky?
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