| JRL HOME | SUPPORT | SUBSCRIBE | RESEARCH & ANALYTICAL SUPPLEMENT | |
Old Saint Basil's Cathedral in MoscowJohnson's Russia List title and scenes of Saint Petersburg
Excerpts from the JRL E-Mail Community :: Founded and Edited by David Johnson

#14 - JRL 9012 - JRL Home
IS PUTIN'S ADVISER TREADING IN YUSHCHENKO'S FOOTSTEPS?

MOSCOW, January 12 (RIA Novosti) - Many experts saw the dismissal of Andrei Illarionov, the president's economic adviser, from the post of Russia's sherpa to the G7 as the consequence of his recent statements. In late December, Mr. Illarionov vehemently criticized the Kremlin's policy, including issues beyond his competence, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports.

Mr. Illarionov must have realized that his transparent statements would have been more appropriate for the opposition leader rather than an official from the Kremlin administration. The Kremlin's response was hardly surprising. Hence, the presidential adviser may turn into a Russian Viktor Yushchenko, willingly or unwillingly.

Both Mr. Illarionov and the newly elected Ukrainian president were loyal supporters of the authorities. The orange leader headed the National Bank of Ukraine from 1993, and was prime minister in 1999-2001. Mr. Illarionov has been cooperating with the Russian government since 1992, when a deputy prime minister employed him as an economic adviser before he went on to become head of the government's analysis and planning group. Both Mr. Illarionov and Mr. Yushchenko are fairly liberal in their economic views, have often visited the West and are highly popular there.

It would be premature to speak about Mr. Illarionov harboring serious political ambitions. However, both Mr. Yushchenko and Georgian leader Mikhail Saakashvili, until recently, were not regarded as serious public politicians either.

Looking at the issue from every angle, the presidential adviser is an ideal candidate for the opposition leader. He (like Mr. Yushchenko and Mr. Saakashvili) has not been involved in any large-scale financial scandals or privatization auctions. There is no doubt that the Russian opposition badly needs a new leader. Every attempt to unify the opposition has so far failed. Following the scenario of the Ukrainian and Georgian developments, Mr. Illarionov should either be expected toleave or be dismissed this year. And then he might start forming an opposition bloc.