Career Notes: Named Prime Minister in September, 1998; fired in May, 1999... Presided over stabilization of Russian economy as it crashed to Bronze Age levels... Became first head of government to enjoy broad popular support and legitimacy in the Yeltsin era... During his tenure, both Alexander Smolensky and Boris Berezovsky were served with warrants for their arrest, while other oligarchs were in retreat. Upon Primakov's firing, oligarchs' warrants and indictments were lifted... Now said to be considering an alliance either with Luzhkov's Fatherland party or with the Communists.

Minor League Notes: Former Foreign Minister under Yeltsin and under Gorbachev, glasnost-era spy master... Kissed Saddam Hussein