[The economic crisis] stands in stark contrast to the 1990s, when the oligarchs used their money to secure the re-election of then-President Boris Yeltsin. Four years after that, financial magnate Boris Berezovsky helped his erstwhile protégé Putin become Yeltsin’s successor. Now it is no longer the oligarchs who are supporting the Kremlin — it is the Kremlin that is bailing out the oligarchs.
He also hones in on some of the shadier links between Kremlin and big business:
Last summer, Putin transformed a government defense export agency intoa holding with a total of 423 companies. This new entity — whichreceives subsidies and essentially acts as a huge state corporation –is headed by Sergei Chemezov, a close ally of Putin and a formercolleague from the days when they both worked as KGB intelligenceagents in the former East Germany.
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” Now it is no longer the oligarchs who are supporting the Kremlin — it is the Kremlin that is bailing out the oligarchs.”Where is the ” revolt of the oligarchs ” that each ” expert ” – you were part of them Mr Amsterdam – on Russia predicted in mid sept-oct 2008 ?At that time the motto was ” The oligarchs hold Putin by the b[censured] ” , now we see the contrary !I think these ” experts ” should read a Salon de Provence ( France ) born expert on Russia : Nostradamus (Michel de Nostredame ) . He wrote some interresting things about Russia ………a few centuries ago !He predicted WW III between Russia and the West .I don’t remember the issue of that war . I guess it was Russia ( Grrrrrrrrr ! ) which wins that war .I dont feel shocked as some people are on the presence of former Kgb officers in Russian business .Eg , Vladimir Kryuchkov the former and defunct Kgb head was a good oil expert who predicted the collapse of the Soviet Union at a Politburo speech . He advised the Soviet leadership to abandon its ” productivist ” oil policy and to make friends among the Opec . He was not listened and everybody knows the end of the story !Some former intelligence officers in business have the advantage to have been close to economic datas unknown sometimes to the highest finance minister .They have a global vision of the economy of a country They also know how to collect datas and informations from competitors .My responsible in a design bureau was a former naval intelligence officer .He didn’t knew how to design a a bloody bastard of a bolt ( joke ! ) but my boss always took him when he had to negociate a contract with the ” Marine Nationale ” (The French Navy ) : He always knew ” the right man in the right place ” .At the collapse of the SU , a Fench economist , i guess it was Mr Attali , suggested to Mr Boris Yeltsin to hire former Kgb unemployed agents to collect taxes for the Russian governement .He said ” They know the way to make the bad guy pay “He was listened beyhond all his hopes with Mr Putin .