President Putin dismisses Cabinet

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the Cabinet. The Kremlin press office reports that the president has issued a decree appointing Vice-Premier Viktor Khristenko acting Prime Minister.

Viktor Khristenko was born on August 28, 1957 in Chelyabinsk, East European part of Russia. He is a graduate of the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute and Moscow's Plekhanov Economic Academy.

In 1979-1990, worked as an engineer, lab manager, senior lecturer and assistant professor at the machine building economy department of the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute.

1990-1991 - chairman of a standing commission, deputy chairman of the economic committee and chairman of the property committee of the Chelyabinsk Executive Committee.

1991-1994 - deputy head of the Chelyabinsk region administration, chairman of the economic committee of the regional administration.

1994-1996 - first deputy head of the Chelyabinsk region administration.

March-June 1997 - the Russian president's envoy to the Chelyabinsk region.

Since July 1997 - Russian deputy finance minister.

From April 28 to September 28, 1998 - Russian deputy prime minister.

From October 28, 1998 - Russian first deputy finance minister.

From December 1998 to May 1999 - acting state secretary and first deputy finance minister of Russia. Oversaw contacts with provinces.

From May 31, 1999 to January 10, 2000 - Russian first deputy prime minister. Re-appointed to the post by a presidential decree of August 19, 1999.

From January 10, 2000 - Russian deputy prime minister. Mr Khristenko oversaw issues related to the regions' socio-economic development, the fuel and energy sector, the anti-trust policy, contacts with international lending institutes, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Since the redistribution of duties in the Cabinet last April, oversees federative relations, regional development and local self-government issues, integration processes in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and cooperation with the European Union.

Mr Khristenko has headed numerous government commissions, among them:

- The government commission on issues pertaining to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - from June 23, 1999 to October 2000.

- The government commission for protective measures in foreign trade and in the customs and tariff policy (from July 1999).

- The government commission for the implementation of the federal target programme for the economic and social development of Russia's Far East and Caucasus for the period from 1996 to 2005 (since November 1999).

- The working group coordinating the central executive bodies' effort to work out a plan for Russia's strategic development (Strategic Development Centre) - from December 1999.

A member of the CIS Economic Council since September 3, 1999.

A Russian governor to the IMF from September 21, 1999 to August 2000.

Head of the Russian inter-departmental commission for cooperation with international financial and economic organisations (from November 1999 to October 2000).

Russian co-chairman of the Russian-Spanish inter-government commission on economic and industrial cooperation (from June 2000).

Co-chairman of the Russian-Canadian inter-government economic commission (from June 21, 2000 to April 2003).

Co-chairman of the Russian-Vietnamese bilateral inter-government commission on business and trade, and scientific and technological cooperation.

Chairman of the government commission on compatriots' affairs (from July 2000).

Chairman of the government commission on the reconstruction of Chechnya's welfare system and economy (from August 2000 to December 2002).

National coordinator ensuring cooperation between Russia and the European Communities Commission in charge of consulting and technological support (from August 2000).

Chairman of the government commission on transport policy (from October 2000).

Chairman of the government commission on housing policy (from October 2000).

Co-chairman of the Russian-Azerbaijani inter-government commission on economic cooperation (from March 2001).

Co-chairman of the Russian-Venezuelan inter-government commission on trade and other economic contacts (from August 2001).

Chairman of the inter-government commission on cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan (from June 2002).

Candidate for a degree in economics.

Married with three children.