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Putin Dissolves Russian Government

Shakeup will lead to new PM and a possible successor

By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 12, 2007 7:39 AM CDT

(Newser) – Russian president Vladimir Putin today accepted  the resignation of his prime minister, Mikhail Fradkov, and the whole cabinet. The shakeup gives Putin a chance to name a new PM and position a successor to himself as president. The new PM is likely to be current first deputy PM Sergei Ivanov, who is seen as being groomed by Putin to be the next president.

Ivanov worked under Putin in an intelligence agency in the late 1990s, the BBC reports, and the two are said to be close. Putin is required, by term limits, to step down next spring.  Parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for December. Putin himself was elected president after being named prime minister a few months earlier by Boris Yeltsin.

Putin and Sergei Ivanov (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)
Putin and Sergei Ivanov (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)   (Associated Press)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov talk during their meeting  in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, in this June 13, 2007 file photo. Putin has dissolved the Russian government on the request of the prime minister, the Kremlin said Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in a...
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov talk during their meeting in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, in this June 13, 2007 file photo. Putin has...   (Associated Press)
Russian President Vladimir Putin seen at his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007. Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to develop the bilateral trade and other ties with Vietnam. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, Pool)
Russian President Vladimir Putin seen at his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007. Russian President Vladimir Putin...   (Associated Press)
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with his Cabinet as Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, left, looks on in the Kremlin in Moscow, in this March 5, 2007 file photo. Putin has dissolved the Russian government on the request of the prime minister, the Kremlin said Wednesday, Sept. 12,...
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with his Cabinet as Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, left, looks on in the Kremlin in Moscow, in this March 5, 2007 file photo. Putin has dissolved...   (Associated Press)
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