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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Billionaire to Oppose Putin in Russian Presidential Election |
| 2011-12-13 |
| [NY Times] Amid a crescendo of complaints from Russians fed up with the country's tightly controlled political system, two prominent figures -- a billionaire industrialist and the recently ousted finance minister -- sought to fill a void in the opposition leadership on Monday. The billionaire, Mikhail D. Prokhorov, who owns shares in a major gold mining company and an array of other ventures in Russia as well as the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise in the United States, said he would run for president, challenging Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin. "I made a decision, probably the most serious decision in my life: I am going to the presidential election," Mr. Prohkorov said at a news conference. He has barely appeared in public since mid-September, when he was removed as the head of a pro-business party, Just Cause, after clashing with Kremlin political strategists. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 re Newc's comment: it was said in the old days that there were three power -estates I think was the term- in the Soviet Union, the military, the KGB and the Party. I wonder to what degree the three current groups are their descendants. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2011-12-13 21:59 |
| #5 Yes, mind the Kremlinzushi. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-12-13 18:00 |
| #4 You're just being negative, Mullah Richard. A small doze of polonium... |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-12-13 14:06 |
| #3 Look for Mr. Prokhorov to be indicted for money-laundering, 'spying' or soliciting underage call-girls or some such other. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2011-12-13 13:34 |
| #2 KGB friend told me that there are three competing groups for power in Russia. This one represents the monied group. Putin represents the intel backbone group (that had a stranglehold on the government since the USSR fell). I doubt they will be unseated in the Presidency or the Duma but ya never know. |
| Posted by: newc 2011-12-13 10:50 |
| #1 Putin engineered his entrance into the race to keep the unhappy masses busy, this must be the deal Prokhorov made to escape jail 5 yrs ago. An Anti-Medhevev of Putin's creation, these guys were KGB boot camp chums right? |
| Posted by: Ominous1 2011-12-13 04:07 |