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Under the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, in the 1990s, a group of snake oil salesmen and scam artists swooped in to take advantage of the opening that "shock therapy" provided and gobbled up valuable state-owned properties and resources at fire sale prices.

When Vladimir Putin eventually replaced the discredited Yeltsin, he called them all to the Kremlin and laid down the law, demanding that they pledge fealty to him personally and do what they were told.

In truth he's more of a Yeltsin, gladly accepting the attention and flattery of the oligarchs as they attempt to steer the government in their favor.

He's much more Yeltsin than Putin.

Suddenly there was breaking news: Russia's President Boris Yeltsin had stepped down.