Chernomyrdin, PM in Russia's post-Soviet chaos, dies at 72

MOSCOW — Ex-prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, a symbol of Russia's tumultuous half decade after the Soviet collapse that saw war and near economic meltdown, died Wednesday aged 72, the Kremlin said.A dour ex-apparatchik, Chernomyrdin showed a steady hand at the helm of government in contrast to his unpredictable boss president Boris Yeltsin but also amused Russians with his folksy aphorisms.His long stint in power from December 1992 to March 1998, with another brief premiership from August-September 1998, included the first war over the breakaway region of Chechnya and hyperinflation during the 1998 economic crisis."If it wasn't for Viktor Chernomyrdin personally, we would not have the history we have now," said former deputy prime minister Anatoly Chubais, who worked in his government and masterminded Russia's privatisation programme."Without him, our people would live a different life," he said.Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered the cabinet to observe a minute's silence in memory of Chernomyrdin, who he described as "a true patriot of Russia".Putin said Chernomyrdin was a "man whom we all knew very well, respected and loved.""Behind the exterior simplicity and jokes" stood a "very subtle intelligent and decent man," he added.Chernomyrdin was to be laid to rest on Friday at Russia's renowned Novodevichy Cemetery, the final resting place for many of the country's greatest heroes, according to a Kremlin decree.The former prime minister died in the early hours of Wednesday, the Kremlin said. It did not specify the cause of his death but he had been known to have been ill for some time.Prior to his appointment as prime minister he also served as the first head of Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom which he formed from the Soviet Union's gas assets across the country.Yeltsin's appointment of Chernomyrdin as prime minister came as a complete shock to the man, as most people expected Yeltsin to pick liberal reformist Yegor Gaidar.But through his term the former gas industry bureaucrat built up enough political

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