ing ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁a iling ▁president , ▁and ▁they ▁fought ▁hard ▁to ▁prevent ▁Put in ' s ▁emer gence ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁successor . ▁Following ▁the ▁Russian ▁a partment ▁bomb ings , ▁Put in ' s ▁law - and - order ▁image ▁and ▁un rel ent ing ▁approach ▁to ▁the ▁Second ▁Che chen ▁War ▁against ▁the ▁Che chen ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ich ker ia ▁soon ▁combined ▁to ▁raise ▁his ▁popular ity ▁and ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁over take ▁his ▁riv als . ▁ ▁While ▁not ▁formally ▁associated ▁with ▁any ▁party , ▁Put in ▁p led ged ▁his ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Unity ▁Party , ▁which ▁won ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁percentage ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote ▁( 2 3 . 3 %) ▁in ▁the ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁D uma ▁elections , ▁and ▁in ▁turn ▁supported ▁Put in . ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 – 2 0 0 0 : ▁Act ing ▁presiden cy ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Y el ts in ▁unexpected ly ▁res igned ▁and , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁Russia , ▁Put in ▁became ▁Act ing ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Federation . ▁On ▁assuming ▁this ▁role , ▁Put in ▁went ▁on ▁a ▁previously ▁scheduled ▁visit ▁to ▁Russian ▁troops ▁in ▁Che ch ny a . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁President ial ▁Dec ree ▁that ▁Put in ▁signed , ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁was ▁titled ▁" On ▁guarante es ▁for ▁former ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Federation ▁and