FILLING RUSSIA'S VOLOSHIN VACUUM
By Peter Lavelle
After almost a week of speculation, Russian President Vladimir Putin on 30 October accepted the resignation of presidential-administration head Aleksander Voloshin. Voloshin tendered his resignation as a direct result of the arrest of Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovskii. While the Khodorkovskii-Yukos story has drawn international attention and commentary, Voloshin's departure from the Kremlin -- from Russian politics in general, at this point -- is an event of enormous significance for Russia's continuing reforms. With Voloshin's exit, Russia has started to move in a direction that many believe casts doubt on Putin's commitment to the creation of a meaningful market economy and a strengthened democracy.
the rest:
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/11/5-NOT/not-031103.asp
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