DATE=7/27/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236100
TITLE=RUSSIA DISMISSAL  (L ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PRIME MINISTER SERGEI KIRIYENKO HAS PRAISED RUSSIA'S 
FORMER SPY CHIEF, TWO DAYS AFTER THE OFFICIAL WAS ABRUPTLY FIRED 
BY PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN.  VOA'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW 
REPORTS THE DISMISSAL HAS TRIGGERED FRESH SPECULATION OF KREMLIN 
INTRIGUE.

TEXT:  IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE, SHOWN ON NATIONAL 
TELEVISION.  PRIME MINISTER KIRIYENKO INTRODUCING NEWLY APPOINTED
DOMESTIC SECURITY SERVICE CHIEF VLADIMIR PUTIN TO THE AGENCY'S 
EMPLOYEES.  SITTING NEXT TO MR. KIRIYENKO WAS THE OUTGOING AGENCY
CHIEF, NIKOLAI KOVALYOV.

IN HIS REMARKS, THE PRIME MINISTER WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO LAVISH 
PRAISE ON MR. KOVALYOV.

        ///  KIRIYENKO ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

MR. KIRIYENKO SAID, "LET ME BE CLEAR.  THIS CHANGE IS  NOT  A 
NEGATIVE REFLECTION ON MR. KOVALYOV'S WORK.  TIMES CHANGE, AND 
PEOPLE CHANGE.  THAT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL".

THE WARMS WORDS WERE SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE, COMING AS THEY DID 
JUST TWO DAYS AFTER PRESIDENT YELTSIN UNCEREMONIOUSLY FIRED THE 
50-YEAR OLD CAREER COUNTERINTELLIGENCE OFFICER.  IN COMMENTS 
REFERRING TO THE IMPENDING DISMISSAL, MR. YELTSIN TEASED 
REPORTERS WITH A TANTALIZING COMMENT SUGGESTING KREMLIN INTRIGUE.

HE SAID, "YOU SOMETIMES FAIL TO UNDERSTAND FIRINGS.  BUT I HAVE 
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE INFORMATION."

THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP OF THE SPY AGENCY, WHICH HANDLES ALL 
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE AND DOMESTIC SECURITY ISSUES, TOUCHED OFF A 
WAVE OF SPECULATION. 

A SENIOR CHECHEN OFFICIAL SAID  (MONDAY)  THAT MR. KOVALYOV'S 
DISMISSAL HAD TO DO WITH THE FAILED ATTEMPT LAST WEEK TO 
ASSASSINATE CHECHEN PRESIDENT ASLAN MASKHADOV. 

BUT MANY ANALYSTS SAY IT IS MORE LIKELY A MOVE BY MR. YELTSIN TO 
PUT ONE OF HIS MOST TRUSTED AIDES IN A CRITICALLY SENSITIVE 
POSITION AHEAD OF THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.  ANDREI 
PIONTKOWSKY OF MOSCOW'S CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES SAYS AT THIS
MOMENT OF ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES AND GROWING POLITICAL UNREST, THE
RUSSIAN LEADER WANTS TO TIGHTEN HIS GRIP ON POWER.

                    ///  PIONTKOWSKY ACT  ///

THE REAL EXPLANATION, I THINK IN THIS VERY CRITICAL POLITICAL 
SITUATION, WHEN EVERY DAY WE READ SOME SCENARIO ABOUT NEW COUP 
AND OVERTHROW, YELTSIN WANTS TO KEEP ON SUCH A SENSITIVE POSITION
PERSONS VERY LOYAL TO HIM PERSONALLY.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

THE VACATIONING PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAS ALSO DROPPED SEVERAL OTHER 
HINTS OF HIS CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIA'S TURBULENT POLITICS. 

IN HIS COMMENTS TO REPORTERS SATURDAY, HE PREDICTED DIFFICULT 
TIMES WHEN POLITICIANS RETURN TO MOSCOW FROM THEIR VACATIONS. HE 
SAID, "AS ALWAYS, WE GET A LITTLE BREATHER (BREAK),  AND THEN IT 
STARTS UP AGAIN."  (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/JWH

27-Jul-98 11:12 AM EDT (1512 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.