IS CHERNOMYRDIN A BILLIONAIRE?

Boris Fedorov, leader of the “Forward,Russia!” political movement and former economics minister, charged thatRussian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin is now a dollar billionaire,Kommersant-Daily reported May 30. Fedorov said that Gazprom, thecountry’s petroleum giant, was now worth $100 billion and thatChernomyrdin, a leader of the oil and gas lobby, had managed to acquireat least a 1 percent stake in the company.

Regional Separatism Seen Rising.