Career Notes: Recently appointed First Deputy Prime Minister as a compromise to balance Berezovsky's influence over other First Deputy Prime Minister Aksyonenko... Made a public show of taking on Norilsk Nickel for tax arrears in summer of 1998, threatening bankruptcy against Norilsk subsidiary Severonickel; campaign fizzled out... Quoted on August 11, 1998: "The question of Russia's default is not on the agenda"...Recently was given a specific weekly time-slot for meetings with Yeltsin, making him one of a select few with guaranteed access to the Czar.

Minor League Notes: Trained as an economist... Became deputy head of Chelyabinsk city administration and later deputy governor of Chelyabinsk oblast.