▁was ▁concluded ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁under st ated ▁prices ▁and ▁permitted ▁the ▁export ▁of ▁met als ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 9 3   mill ion ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁foreign ▁food ▁aid ▁that ▁never ▁arrived . ▁Despite ▁the ▁investig ators ' ▁recommendation ▁that ▁Put in ▁be ▁fired , ▁Put in ▁remained ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁for ▁External ▁Rel ations ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁held ▁several ▁other ▁political ▁and ▁government al ▁positions ▁in ▁Saint ▁Petersburg . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Put in ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁First ▁Deput y ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Saint ▁Petersburg . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁he ▁organized ▁the ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁pro - g overn ment ▁Our ▁Home ▁– ▁Russia ▁political ▁party , ▁the ▁liberal ▁party ▁of ▁power ▁founded ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Vik tor ▁Ch ern om yr din . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁he ▁managed ▁the ▁legisl ative ▁election ▁campaign ▁for ▁that ▁party , ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁through ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁its ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁branch . ▁▁ 1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 9 : ▁Early ▁Moscow ▁career ▁▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Sob ch ak ▁lost ▁his ▁bid ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁Saint ▁Petersburg , ▁so ▁Put in ▁moved ▁to ▁Moscow ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Deput