CNN Today

Russian Presidential Election to Turn on Political, Military Campaigns

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LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: A date of March 26th was set today for the presidential election in Russia, an election triggered by Boris Yeltsin's early resignation. So far, the heavy favorite is acting President Vladimir Putin, who enjoys the perks of office, a quick campaign, and strong popularity. But political land mines may await Putin in the breakaway Chechen republic, where Russia's military putsch is beginning to reek of a quagmire.

From Moscow, CNN Alessio Vinci reports on two related campaigns -- one military, one political.

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ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early elections will have presidential candidates scrambling to organize their campaign. In order to register with the Electoral Commission and include their names on the ballot, candidates must each collect half- a-million signatures by February 13.

ALEXANDER VYSHNIAKOV, RUSSIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION (through translator): I think there is plenty of time for any political party to express its position and to make that position clear to the Russian electorate, especially considering that this election comes right after parliamentary elections where all political parties participated.

VINCI: One candidate who will have no problems gathering enough support is the acting president, Vladimir Putin. Thanks to his tough stance on Chechnya and his promise to swiftly deal with widespread corruption, Mr. Putin has enjoyed a degree of popularity unseen since the early days of Boris Yeltsin as Russian president.

In his first interview with Russian television since becoming acting president, Mr. Putin admitted that Yeltsin's resignation gave him a head-start in the presidential race.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, ACTING RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is linked to the fact that he wanted the presidential election campaign to proceed as he wanted. Let's be honest, he is providing me with a forum for the presidential campaign and doing so deliberately.

VINCI: Mr. Putin's popularity is also backed by most Russian media, who give the acting president favorable coverage of everything he does, including the Russian military campaign in Chechnya.

But the military operation in Chechnya is expensive and analysts here say the Russian government may be forced to print money to pay for it.

VIKTOR KREMENYUK, POLITICAL ANALYST: We may have another severe turn in inflation, and that may change all the public mood here. People will forget immediately about Chechnya and they will think about their purses, about their salaries. And this is the area where Mr. Putin is extremely weak.

VINCI: For now though, it is the military operation in Chechnya that will likely dominate the early part of the presidential campaign.

(on camera): Vladimir Putin's chances to be elected as Russia's president are linked to a positive outcome of the war in Chechnya, but the election are three months away, a long time in any war.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, Moscow.

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