Career Notes: Widely reported to be the "hidden hand" behind choice of Aksyonenko as Vice-Premier...Recent NTV report about him used sinister blacked-out picture of a face covered with a question mark to illustrate him...Actually we have his picture, but are afraid to use it...Considered driving force behind rumored plans to create a "Gosneft" state oil company... Finished behind Tatiana Dyachenko and Boris Berezovsky in Novaya Gazeta's recent "Grey Cardinal" ratings...Strong candidate for 1999 Evil Rookie of the Year award.

Minor League Notes: Indicted in 1992 for stealing 55 railroad wagons full of diesel fuel from the Ukhtinsky petroleum processing plant.