How Putin came to Power

In August 1999, President Yeltsin appointed his FSB Chief Putin as the new Prime Minister. Same day, he named this little known man as his official successor. Yet, there was a problem. To become a president, Putin had to go through elections which he could not win.

Nobody knew him. He was completely obscure.

Today, Putin is the top rank global celebrity. But in August 1999, nobody knew him. He was just a little known official of Yeltsin's administration, raised to the Chairman of Government by the arbitrary will of Yeltsin. This noname clerk had like 2-3% of popular support.

Soon, he was to face elections.

By the time of Putin's appointment, Russia already had its most favoured candidate. It was Primakov. A former Yeltsin's Prime Minister who broke with Yeltsin to contest for power. The most popular politician in Russia with massive support both in masses and in the establishment.

Back in 1999, Primakov had a nearly universal support. With 84 out of 89 governors backing him, his victory seemed all but predetermined. Total bipartisan support in the political establishment combined with the wide popularity in masses seemed like a winning combination¹.

With all the support of Kremlin, and with the FSB behind him, Putin was still an underdog. He was to face way more popular (like 20 times more popular) candidate backed by almost the entire regional elite. That seemed like an impossible bid.

Unless he would play some magic trick.