Yevgeny Primakov: R.I.P. , 1930-2015

Yevgeny Primakov, 1930-2015

      Interesting obituary for one of the stalwarts of the late Soviet period in Russya: Yevgeny Primakov, died on 29 June at age 85.  Cause of death likely old age-related illness(heart failure, COPD, prostate cancer, etc.).   He was a nimble player at the highest levels of the Russyan government hierarchy.  Of course, he had long been a player in the KGB(aren't they all?).   His intelligence was recognized early on, and after mastering Arabic, became a foreign correspondent in the Middle East.
     Since he was in fact, a KGB agent with cover, he provided timely information to the Communist Party leaders in Moscova.  Not a diehard member of the Party, he was able to steer clear of ideologues and rise to top positions based on power structures and how to influence others.  He was especially adept at influencing Boris Yeltsin at the end of the Soviet era, and taking over the foreign intelligence directorate, a real plum job with enormous capability.
      At one time, he was thought to be the heir apparent to Yeltsin, but his skills were not up to the test and Vova easily took the top job, as Yevgeny was criticized for being not only a poor speaker, with a sad appearance, but an old man with a short term outlook.  He also wished to look West: he was friendly with USA Secretary of State Madeline Albright, who spoke Russyan.   They laughed together about "termites", the relentless bureaucrats who managed to derail much work and to obfuscate policies desired by senior officers.   He did not approve of Mad Vlad's methods and thought his saber rattling over Ukraine was unseemly and distasteful.