Sherry Darling
New Yorker
Putin dismisses entire government
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed his government in a live television broadcast.
The surprise move comes weeks before a 14 March presidential election which Mr Putin is expected to win by a landslide.
Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko has been named as temporary replacement for Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
There was no immediate word on the reason for the move, but Mr Kasyanov's future had been in doubt.
He was seen as closer to Mr Putin's predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, than to the president himself.
This is linked to my wish to set out my position on what the country's course will be after March 14, 2004
President Putin
He also had links with the oligarchs - the super-rich businessmen who made their money during Mr Yeltin's post-communist privatisation era but have fallen out of favour since Mr Putin's election.
The announcement on state-run television was trailed simply as a statement.
Mr Putin said the decision did not reflect on the government's performance, which was satisfactory "on the whole".
"This is linked to my wish to set out my position on what the country's course will be after 14 March 2004," he said.
Mr Putin said he had the power to ask for the government's resignation under article 117 of the Russian constitution.
Russian share prices dipped after his announcement.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3517331.stm
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed his government in a live television broadcast.
The surprise move comes weeks before a 14 March presidential election which Mr Putin is expected to win by a landslide.
Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko has been named as temporary replacement for Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
There was no immediate word on the reason for the move, but Mr Kasyanov's future had been in doubt.
He was seen as closer to Mr Putin's predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, than to the president himself.
This is linked to my wish to set out my position on what the country's course will be after March 14, 2004
President Putin
He also had links with the oligarchs - the super-rich businessmen who made their money during Mr Yeltin's post-communist privatisation era but have fallen out of favour since Mr Putin's election.
The announcement on state-run television was trailed simply as a statement.
Mr Putin said the decision did not reflect on the government's performance, which was satisfactory "on the whole".
"This is linked to my wish to set out my position on what the country's course will be after 14 March 2004," he said.
Mr Putin said he had the power to ask for the government's resignation under article 117 of the Russian constitution.
Russian share prices dipped after his announcement.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3517331.stm
If one man has the power to do that, what else can he be called? I worry so much about Russia. They've had such a turbulent history and there always seems to be a volatile situation going on.
