Russia: Executive Branch

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President: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Putin was inaugurated President on 7 May 2000. He was elected by 52.94 percent of the vote.[1]  Putin had held the post of Acting President since the resignation of Boris Yeltsin on 31 December 1999. Yeltsin had been re-elected on 3 July 1996 for a four-year term.[2] Previously, Putin was appointed Acting Prime Minister by President Yeltsin on 9 August 1999 and was formally approved by the Duma on 16 August 1999 by a vote of 233-84 with 17 deputies abstaining. He replaced Sergey Stepashin, who had held the position since 12 May 1999.[3]   Prior to his appointment as Prime Minister, Putin had served as head of the FSB since July 1998.  Putin graduated from the law department of Leningrad State University and then worked in the foreign intelligence directorate of the USSR KGB until 1990.  He reportedly served for some time in Germany.[4] On returning to Leningrad, Putin became an aide to the vice-president of Leningrad State University in charge of international issues. A native of Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Putin later took a series of positions in the administration of St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoliy Sobchak. Following Sobchak's loss in his 1996 bid for re-election, Putin moved to Moscow to work in the Yeltsin administration as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration and head of the administration's Main Control Directorate.[5]  From July 1998 to March 1999 Putin directed the Federal Security Service.[6]
Sources:
[1] ITAR-TASS, 7 April 2000; in "Official returns of Russian presidential elections published," Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe.{updated 5/30/2000 MBN}
[2] "Complete List of Russian Government Officials," Reuters, 6 January 2000; in Russia Today, http://www.russiatoday.com.
[3] Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 16 August 1999; in "Russian parliament confirms Putin as prime minister," Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe,  http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe
[4] ITAR-TASS, 25 July 1998; in "Yeltsin Appoints Vladimir Putin Head of Security Service," FBIS-SOV-98-206.
[5] Penny Morvant, "New FSB Head Outlines Priorities," OMRI Daily Digest, No. 133, Part I, 11 July 1996.
[6] Yekaterina Zapodinskaya, "Chekist From Chubays' Team Becomes Head of FSB," Kommersant-daily, 28 July 1998, pp. 1, 2; in "New FSB Chief Profiled, Tasks Assessed," FBIS-SOV-98-209. {Entered 9/24/99 GD, SP; updated 1/6/2000 CC} 

GOVERNMENT STAFF

Head of the Government Staff:  Dmitriy Kozak

Government Departments:

Public Administration and Local Governance
Mass Communication, Culture, and Education
International Cooperation
Defense Industry and High Technology
Sectoral Development
Regional Monitoring
Social Development and Environmental Protection
Economics and Finance
Legal Office Administration and Monitoring

SECURITY COUNCIL

Under the terms of a presidential decree issued on 3 March 1998, the Security Council has absorbed the functions of the abolished Defense Council and State Military Inspectorate. The decree specifies that the staff of the Defense Council and State Military Inspectorate will be merged with that of the Security Council.  This administrative reorganization apparently returns to the Security Council primary responsibility for coordinating executive branch policy over all aspects of national security policy, including military policy and military reform, which had been partly removed from its oversight by the creation of the Defense Council in July 1996. Commenting on the integration of the Defense Council and State Military Inspectorate into the Security Council, presidential spokesman Sergey Yastrzhembskiy described it as part of efforts toward "reforming the system of defense and security as a whole." Like the former State Military Inspectorate, the council will  now presumably coordinate the activity of Russia's disparate "force ministries," which include not only the Defense Ministry, but also other federal ministries and agencies with uniformed troops, such as the Border Guards, the Interior Troops, and the Railway Troops.[1]  According to media reports, the 15 November 1999 appointment of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's protege Sergey Ivanov as Security Council Secretary strengthens Putin's efforts to transform the Security Council into an analytical service of increased importance that will play a greater role in the reform of the state's military system.[2,3]  As part of a change in leadership appointments in various ministries, President Putin appointed previous Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Rushaylo as Security Council Secretary on 28 March 2001.  Media sources believe that the Security Council under Rushaylo will see a reduced influence on executive decisions compared to the relatively influential council under Sergey Ivanov, who was very active in defense and foreign policy issues.[4]  
Sources:
[1] "Yeltsin Appoints New Russian Security Council Secretary," Interfax, 3 March 1998
[2] Aleksey Makarkin and Valeriya Sycheva, "Putin's Election Headquarters Opened at Security Council.  Premier Places His People in Key Posts." Segodnya, 16 November 1999, p. 2; in "Ivanov Appointment Shows Kremlin 'Banking on Putin,'" FBIS Document FTS19991116000895.
[3] Vladimir Yermolin, "From Lubyanka To Staraya Square.  FSB Deputy Director Appointed New Security Council Secretary," Izvestiya, 16 November 1999, p. 2; in "Ivanov Appointment 'Strengthens' Putin Security Role," FBIS Document FTS19991116000949.
[4] Lidiya Andrusenko et al., "Putin's First Revolution.  President Prefers Personal Loyalty," Nezavisimaya gazeta, 29 March 2001, p. 1,3; in "Nezavisimaya Gazeta Eyes Implications of Putin's Reshuffle," FBIS Document CEP20010329000165. {entered 11/23/99 CC; updated 4/2/01 RG}

RUSSIAN FEDERATION DEFENSE COUNCIL

Under the terms of a decree issued on 3 March 1998 by President Yeltsin, the Defense Council was abolished and its functions were absorbed by the Security Council. Presidential spokesman Sergey Yastrzhembskiy termed the move part of an administrative reorganization "aimed at closer coordination of efforts toward reforming the system of defense and security as a whole." [1] Russian commentators viewed the move as a logical consolidation of duplicative administrative structures, since the Defense and Security Councils had almost identical memberships. Many observers believed that the Defense Council was created by Yeltsin in July 1996 only as a counterweight to then-Secretary of the Security Council Aleksandr Lebed, and having fulfilled that function some time ago, could now be abolished.
Sources:
[1]"Yeltsin Appoints New Russian Security Council Secretary," Interfax, 3 March 1998.
[2] Maksim Zhukov, "Bezopasnost nam nuzhneye oborony," Kommersant-daily, 3 March 1998.{updated 3/3/98 sdp}

STATE PROTECTION SERVICE

By presidential edict the State Protection Service became the Federal Protection Service, and subordinated to the Ministry of Justice, on 9 March 2004.[1]
[Presidential Edict No. 314, O sisteme i strukture federalnykh organov ispolnitelnoy vlasti, 9 March 2004; in Rossiyskaya gazeta, http://www.rg.ru/2004/03/11/federel-dok.html, 12 March 2004.] {Entered 7/28/04 CC}

PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY SERVICE (SBP)

The SBP is a directorate of the State Protection Service as of 2 July 1996.
Sources:
[1] Tatyana Malkina, "Boris Yeltsin Has Been On Vacation...," SEGODNYA, 8/27/96, p. 1.
[2] Natalya Konstantinova, "Naina Yeltsina Has Been Operated On. Boris Yeltsin’s Chief Aide-de-Camp Has Become Chief of His Security Service," NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA, 8/27/96, p. 2.
[3] Robert Orttung, "Yeltsin Names New Security Chief," OMRI DAILY DIGEST, No. 167, 8/28/96. {Entered 8/28/96 KD}

Executive Services

These services were directly subordinate to the president and did not report to the Prime Minister or Cabinet of Ministers.  In March 2004, they were subordinated to the Ministry of Justice, which reports directly the Russian president.
[Presidential Edict No. 314, O sisteme i strukture federalnykh organov ispolnitelnoy vlasti, 9 March 2004; in Rossiyskaya gazeta, http://www.rg.ru/2004/03/11/federel-dok.html, 12 March 2004.] {Updated 7/27/04 CC}

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (SVR)
By presidential edict, the Foreign Intelligence Service was subordinated to the Ministry of Justice on 9 March 2004.
[Presidential Edict No. 314, O sisteme i strukture federalnykh organov ispolnitelnoy vlasti, 9 March 2004; in Rossiyskaya gazeta, http://www.rg.ru/2004/03/11/federel-dok.html, 12 March 2004.] {Entered 7/27/04 CC}

FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE (FSB)

By presidential edict, the Federal Security Service was subordinated to the Ministry of Justice on 9 March 2004.
[Presidential Edict No. 314, O sisteme i strukture federalnykh organov ispolnitelnoy vlasti, 9 March 2004; in Rossiyskaya gazeta, http://www.rg.ru/2004/03/11/federel-dok.html, 12 March 2004.] {Entered 7/27/04 CC}

FEDERAL BORDER SERVICE (FPS)

On 1 July 2003, the Federal Border Service became a department of the Federal Security Service, in accordance with Presidential Edict No. 203 On Measures for the Improvement of the Administration in the Area of the Security of the Russian Federation of 11 March 2003.
[Presidential Edict No. 203, On Measures for the Improvement of the Administration in the Area of the Security of the Russian Federation, 11 March 2003, FSB Website, http://www.fsb.ru/under/upravlenie.html.] {Entered 7/27/04 CC}

FEDERAL CURRENCY AND EXPORT CONTROL SERVICE (VEK)

VEK was subordinated to the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade on 17 May 2000.  For more information on VEK, please see the Federal Currency and Export Control Service entry in the Russia:  Government and Selected Ministries file.
Sources:
[1] Elina Kirichenko and William Potter, "Nuclear Export Controls in Russia: The Players and the Process," Center for Nonproliferation Studies and Institute of World Economy and International Relations, working draft, September 1996.
[2] Edict No. 867 O strukture federalnykh organov ispolnitelnoy vlasti, 17 May 2000, Rossiyskaya gazeta Website, http://www.rg.ru/oficial/doc/uykazi/867.htm.{Updated 6/5/2000 CC}
 

Page last updated 27 July 2004

Comments or questions? E-mail Cristina Chuen:  cristina.chuenATmiis.edu.

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2003 by MIIS.

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