PM Kasyanov Is Not Running for Presidency Says Governmental Press Service

The creation of a national committee for the nomination of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov for presidency is simply a false rumor. This was announced to a Rosbalt correspondent by Director of the Governmental Information Department Alexei Gorshkov today.

Mr Gorshkov said that 'any attempt to nominate Mikhail Kasyanov for the presidency is either purposeful misinformation or provocation. We believe it to be a pointless and stupid idea,' he added. Mr Gorshkov thinks that this is similar to the incident in 1996 when, two days before Alexander Lebed's resignation as Secretary of Russia's Security Council, a movement called 'Lebed Is Our President' emerged and nominated Mr Lebed for the Russian presidency.