Sergei Stepashin
Encyclopedia
Sergei Vadimovich Stepashin (Серге́й Вади́мович Степа́шин) (born 2 March 1952, Lüshunkou, China
) is a Russia
n politician, current Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation and former Prime Minister of Russia
. He was appointed federal security minister by President Boris Yeltsin
in 1994. He resigned his position in 1995 as a consequence of the Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis
.
Sergei Stepashin graduated from the Higher Political School of the USSR Ministry of the Interior (1973), in 1981 - from the Military and Political Academy, in 2002 - from the Finance Academy. He is a Doctor of Law
, Professor
, and has a rank of the State Advisor on Justice of the Russian Federation. His Military rank
is Colonel-General.
He became justice minister
, serving from 1997 to March 1998, and interior minister
, holding that office from March 1998 to May 1999, when he was appointed and confirmed by parliament as prime minister
. Yeltsin made it fairly clear when he appointed him Prime Minister that Stepashin would only hold the position temporarily, and he was replaced in August 1999 by future president Vladimir Putin
.
Stepashin's attitude towards the Chechen conflict was markedly different from that of Vladimir Putin. Stepashin had, for example, presented leaders of the separatist regime in Chechnya with monogrammed pistols, praised the activities of the religious extremists who had taken over several Dagestani villages, and had proclaimed publicly: "We can afford to lose Dagestan!".
Following his resignation from the position of Prime Minister, Stepashin joined the political party Yabloko
for the Russian parliamentary elections of 1999 and was elected to the Duma
, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament. Later on he resigned his parliamentary seat and became head of the Account Chamber of the Russian Federation, the federal audit agency. He holds his job to date.
Boris Yeltsin
stated in 2005 that he considered Sergei Stepashin for his successor for President but was unhappy with his lack of enthusiasm over the First Chechen War
.
Most recently, he has been asked by lawyer's for Hermitage Capital, once among Russia's top foreign investors, to investigate what it says was a series of fake tax refund
s which defrauded Russian taxpayers of 11.2 billion roubles ($382 million), according to lawyers Brown Rudnick in a letter to Stepashin.
Since 2007 Stepashin is the head of the revived Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n politician, current Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation and former Prime Minister of Russia
Prime Minister of Russia
The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation The use of the term "Prime Minister" is strictly informal and is not allowed for by the Russian Constitution and other laws....
. He was appointed federal security minister by President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
in 1994. He resigned his position in 1995 as a consequence of the Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis
Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis
The Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis took place from 14 June to 19 June 1995, when a group of 80 to 200 Chechen terrorists led by Shamil Basayev attacked the southern Russian city of Budyonnovsk , some north of the border with the Russian republic of Chechnya...
.
Sergei Stepashin graduated from the Higher Political School of the USSR Ministry of the Interior (1973), in 1981 - from the Military and Political Academy, in 2002 - from the Finance Academy. He is a Doctor of Law
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
, Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, and has a rank of the State Advisor on Justice of the Russian Federation. His Military rank
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
is Colonel-General.
He became justice minister
Justice Minister
A justice ministry is a ministry or other government agency charged with justice. The ministry is often headed by a minister for justice or secretary of justice or secretary for justice; sometimes the head of a department of justice is entitled attorney general.Specific duties may relate to...
, serving from 1997 to March 1998, and interior minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
, holding that office from March 1998 to May 1999, when he was appointed and confirmed by parliament as prime minister
Prime Minister of Russia
The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation The use of the term "Prime Minister" is strictly informal and is not allowed for by the Russian Constitution and other laws....
. Yeltsin made it fairly clear when he appointed him Prime Minister that Stepashin would only hold the position temporarily, and he was replaced in August 1999 by future president Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
.
Stepashin's attitude towards the Chechen conflict was markedly different from that of Vladimir Putin. Stepashin had, for example, presented leaders of the separatist regime in Chechnya with monogrammed pistols, praised the activities of the religious extremists who had taken over several Dagestani villages, and had proclaimed publicly: "We can afford to lose Dagestan!".
Following his resignation from the position of Prime Minister, Stepashin joined the political party Yabloko
Yabloko
The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" (Russian: Росси́йская объединённая демократи́ческая па́ртия «Я́блоко» Rossiyskaya obyedinyonnaya demokraticheskaya partiya "Yabloko"; is a Russian social...
for the Russian parliamentary elections of 1999 and was elected to the Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament. Later on he resigned his parliamentary seat and became head of the Account Chamber of the Russian Federation, the federal audit agency. He holds his job to date.
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
stated in 2005 that he considered Sergei Stepashin for his successor for President but was unhappy with his lack of enthusiasm over the First Chechen War
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
.
Most recently, he has been asked by lawyer's for Hermitage Capital, once among Russia's top foreign investors, to investigate what it says was a series of fake tax refund
Tax refund
A tax refund or tax rebate is a refund on taxes when the tax liability is less than the taxes paid. Taxpayers can often get a tax refund on their income tax if the tax they owe is less than the sum of the total amount of the withholding taxes and estimated taxes that they paid, plus the...
s which defrauded Russian taxpayers of 11.2 billion roubles ($382 million), according to lawyers Brown Rudnick in a letter to Stepashin.
Since 2007 Stepashin is the head of the revived Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.
External links
- Official biography
- A biography of Stepashin by V. Pribylovsky (in Russian)
- Sergei Stepashin at Armen OganesyanArmen OganesyanArmen Garnikovich Oganesyan is the CEO of Russian state radio station Voice of Russia. He was educated at Moscow State University, Department of Journalism.-References:...
's talkshow "Vis-a-Vis with the World" (in English) - Sergei Stepashin at Armen Oganesyan's talkshow "Vis-a-Vis with the World" (in Russian)