The politics of Russia take place in the framework of the federal semi-presidential republic of Russia. According to the Constitution of Russia, the President of Russia is head of state, and of a multi-party system with executive power exercised by the government, headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the President with the parliament's approval. Legislative power is vested in the two houses of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, while the President and the government issue numerous legally binding by-laws. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, Russia has seen serious challenges in its efforts to forge a political system to follow nearly seventy-five years of Soviet governance. For instance, leading figures in the legislative and executive branches have put forth opposing views of Russia's political direction and the governmental instruments that should be used to follow it. That conflict reached a climax in September and October 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin used military force to dissolve the parliament and called for new legislative elections. This event marked the end of Russia's first constitutional period, which was defined by the much-amended constitution adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1978. A new constitution, creating a strong presidency, was approved by referendum in December 1993.
The chairman of the government of the Russian Federation, also informally known as the prime minister, is the head of government of Russia. Although the post dates back to 1905, its current form was established on 12 December 1993 following the introduction of a new constitution.
Lieutenant General Alexander Ivanovich Lebed was a Soviet and Russian military officer and politician who held senior positions in the Airborne Troops before running for president in the 1996 Russian presidential election. He did not win, but placed third behind incumbent Boris Yeltsin and the Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, with roughly 14% of the vote nation-wide. Lebed later served as the Secretary of the Security Council in the Yeltsin administration, and eventually became the governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai, the second largest Russian region. He served four years in the latter position, until his death following a Mi-8 helicopter crash.
Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin was a Soviet and Russian politician and businessman. He was the Minister of Gas Industry of the Soviet Union, after which he became first chairman of Gazprom energy company and the second-longest-serving Prime Minister of Russia (1992–1998) based on consecutive years. He was a key figure in Russian politics in the 1990s and a participant in the transition from a planned to a market economy. From 2001 to 2009, he was Russia's ambassador to Ukraine. After that, he was designated as a presidential adviser.
Our Home – Russia was a Russian political party that existed from 1995 to the mid-2000s.
Amangeldy Gumirovich "Aman" Tuleyev is a Russian statesman. He served as governor of Kemerovo Oblast from 1997 to 2018 and was the chairman of the Council of People's Deputies of the Kemerovo oblast briefly in 2018.
Alexander Vasilyevich Korzhakov is a Russian former KGB general who served as Boris Yeltsin's bodyguard, confidant, and adviser for eleven years. He was the head of the Presidential Security Service (PSB) from 1991 to 1996, State Duma deputy from 2007 to 2011, and retired Lieutenant-general. Korzhakov had been Yeltsin's bodyguard since 1985, and on 19 August 1991, he stood next to his boss on top of a tank during Yeltsin's historic speech.
Yevgeny Primakov's Cabinet was the seventh cabinet of government of the Russian Federation, preceded by Sergei Kiriyenko's Cabinet fallen as a result of the 1998 Russian financial crisis and followed by Sergei Stepashin's Cabinet. It was led by Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, proposed by President Boris Yeltsin on September 10, 1998, as Viktor Chernomyrdin had failed to be approved by the State Duma twice by September 7 ; According to the Constitution of Russia, if parliament rejects the president's nomination three times, then parliament must be dissolved and a general election held. On September 11 Primakov was approved by the Duma as Prime Minister and appointed Prime Minister by the President. In the State Duma only Vladimir Zhirinovsky's Liberal Democratic Party of Russia was both in favor of Chernomyrdin and against Primakov.
Sergei Kiriyenko's Cabinet was the sixth cabinet of government of the Russian Federation, preceded by Viktor Chernomyrdin's Second Cabinet and followed by Yevgeny Primakov's Cabinet. It was led by Prime Minister Sergey Kiriyenko, appointed acting Prime Minister on March 23 and proposed to the State Duma for approvement on March 27, 1998. On April 10 and April 17 Duma disapproved him as Prime Minister twice, but on the third time on April 24 he was approved by the State Duma and appointed Prime Minister by the President. According to the Constitution of Russia, if the State Duma rejects the President's nomination three times, it must be dissolved and a parliamentary election held.
The acting president of the Russian Federation is a temporary post provided by the Constitution of Russia. The acting president is a person who fulfils the duties of the president of the Russian Federation when cases of incapacity and vacancy occur. However, the person who takes office is more limited in power as the acting president can not dissolve the State Duma, call a referendum, or propose constitutional amendments. This post is held by the prime minister of Russia.
Anatoly Sergeyevich Kulikov is a Russian General of the Army, former Interior Minister of Russia (1995–1998).
The Gore–Chernomyrdin Commission, or U.S.–Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation, was a United States and Russian Joint Commission developed to increase cooperation between the two countries in several different areas. The Commission was developed by the United States’ President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a summit in Vancouver in April 1993. Al Gore, the United States Vice President, and Viktor Chernomyrdin, the Russian Prime Minister, were appointed as co-chairmen and the committee derives its name from those two individuals. Before his appointment to the Commission, Chernomyrdin oversaw the Soviet national oil industry as minister from 1985–1989. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Chernomyrdin organized the Soviet oil industry into the Gazprom corporation.
Vladimir Bulgak is a Russian engineer, bureaucrat and politician. He served in different capacities in various cabinets of Russia, including deputy prime minister.
Viktor Chernomyrdin's First Cabinet acted under President of Russia Boris Yeltsin from 23 December 1992 to August 9, 1996. Until December 25, 1993 the official name was Council of Ministers, and since that date, with the coming into law of the Constitution of Russia under the term "Government".
The presidency of Boris Yeltsin began with his first inauguration on 10 July 1991, and ended on 31 December 1999 when he announced his resignation. A referendum held on 17 March 1991 approved the creation of the post of president of Russia; Yeltsin was elected Russia's first president in a presidential election held on 12 June 1991.
The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the 2nd convocation is a former convocation of the State Duma, Lower House of the Russian Parliament. The 2nd convocation meets at the State Duma building in Moscow, worked from December 17, 1995 – December 19, 1999.
Cabinet of Boris Yeltsin and Yegor Gaidar was Russian Cabinet of Ministers under the leadership of President Boris Yeltsin and First Deputy Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, which was in office from 6 November 1991 to 23 December 1992.
Valery Antonovich Makharadze was a politician in Russia who held a number of senior posts during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin, including deputy prime minister. He was removed from the latter office with the dissolution of the cabinet of Boris Yeltsin and Yegor Gaidar and the creation of Viktor Chernomyrdin's first cabinet.
Alexander Kharlampieyevich Zaveryukha was a Russian politician of the late Soviet Union and the early years of the Russian Federation, serving under President Boris Yeltsin. He served as a Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation for the agricultural industry in Viktor Chernomyrdin's first and second cabinets. Zaveryukha was also the leader of the Agrarian Party of Russia.
Vladimir Stepanovich Babichev was a Soviet and Russian politician and former Chief of Staff of the Russian Government (1994–1998).
