▁the ▁K GB . ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 : ▁First ▁premi ership ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Put in ▁was ▁appointed ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁First ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister s , ▁and ▁later ▁on ▁that ▁day , ▁was ▁appointed ▁acting ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Federation ▁by ▁President ▁Y el ts in . ▁Y el ts in ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁see ▁Put in ▁as ▁his ▁successor . ▁Later ▁on ▁that ▁same ▁day , ▁Put in ▁agreed ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁the ▁presiden cy . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁August , ▁the ▁State ▁D uma ▁approved ▁his ▁appointment ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁with ▁ 2 3 3 ▁votes ▁in ▁favor ▁( vs . ▁ 8 4 ▁against , ▁ 1 7 ▁ab st ained ), ▁while ▁a ▁simple ▁majority ▁of ▁ 2 2 6 ▁was ▁required , ▁making ▁him ▁Russia ' s ▁fifth ▁PM ▁in ▁fewer ▁than ▁eigh teen ▁months . ▁On ▁his ▁appointment , ▁few ▁expected ▁Put in , ▁virt ually ▁unknown ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁public , ▁to ▁last ▁any ▁longer ▁than ▁his ▁prede cess ors . ▁He ▁was ▁initially ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁Y el ts in ▁loyal ist ; ▁like ▁other ▁prime ▁minister s ▁of ▁Bor is ▁Y el ts in , ▁Put in ▁did ▁not ▁choose ▁minister s ▁himself , ▁his ▁cabinet ▁was ▁determined ▁by ▁the ▁president ial ▁administration . ▁ ▁Y el ts in ' s ▁main ▁oppon ents ▁and ▁would - be ▁success ors ▁were ▁already ▁campaign