NAMES TO WATCH IN THE Post-Gorbachev Era

As the Commonwealth of Independent States rises on the ruins of the Soviet Union, who will be its most important figures? Here are some of the VIPs taking charge of the new, post-Soviet world:

BORIS NIKOLAYEVICH YELTSIN

Age: 60

Position: President of Russia

Background: Graduated from Ural Polytechnic Institute in 1955 . . . spent 30 years in hometown of Sverdlovsk, western Siberia, before coming to Moscow in 1985 as chief of Communist Party Central Committee’s construction department. That December, he became first secretary of Moscow City Party Committee . . . Gorbachev, who had assigned Yeltsin to the key Moscow post in his campaign for younger, more energetic leaders, dismissed him less than two years later for criticizing slow pace of perestroika reforms . . . In 1989, elected to Congress of People’s Deputies in Soviet Union’s first multi-candidate parliamentary elections . . . In 1990, elected chairman of Russian parliament, and last June he won first election for Russian presidency . . . Since his key role in thwarting August coup, he has gained power and is now boss of largest and strongest remnant of what was once Gorbachev’s Soviet Union.

Quote: “It is difficult for all of us now, and it is not going to get easier in the next few months. The main thing is confidence. And faith. Don’t give up, don’t sink into pessimism, don’t loose hope. New times are on the way.”

LEONID MAKAROVICH KRAVCHUK

Age: 58

Position: President of Ukraine

Background: Grew up in rural Ukraine, studied at cooperative technical school before graduating from Kiev University with degree in economics . . . For most of his long career as a party apparatchik , he was involved in ideology, becoming chief of Ukrainian Communist Party Central Committee’s propaganda department during 1980s. Republic’s parliament elected him chairman in July . . . Opponents such as members of Rukh, Ukrainian independence movement, accuse him of slyness and note his tendency to change public views according to prevailing political winds . . . But in same referendum that brought Ukraine independence, Kravchuk was elected president.

Quote: “We will naturally insist that Ukraine become a member of all European organizations, including financial, and I think that our requests will be met.”

NURSULTAN ABISHEVICH NAZARBAYEV

Age: 51

Position: President of Kazakhstan

Background: A wrestler in his youth, Nazarbayev was educated at technical college attached to a metallurgical factory and worked for 10 years at a blast furnace . . . Graduated from Communist Party Central Committee’s Higher Party School and had classic party career, becoming first secretary of Kazakhstan’s Communist Party in 1989, a post he quit last summer . . . Ran unopposed for president of Kazakhstan in December . . . Leadership approach has been described as “authoritarian for modernization” . . . A long-time supporter of economic reforms and transition to a free market.

Quote: “There remains one path, the path along which the whole world is moving, the path of . . . the market.”

GENNADY EDUARDOVICH BURBULIS

Age: 46

Position: First deputy prime minister of Russia, secretary of state

Background: Born in Pervouralsk, where grandfather had immigrated from Lithuania . . . Graduated from Urals State University with degree in philosophy, then taught that subject himself . . . Came to Moscow as people’s deputy in 1989 . . . Referred to by some as “Yeltsin’s gray cardinal,” he managed Russian president’s campaign last June and is now his chief adviser . . . Told Yeltsin before August coup that he should “consolidate the moral and political prestige undoubtedly enjoyed by Russia’s leadership” and prepare for “the final disintegration of this totalitarian system.”

Quote: “President Yeltsin enjoys the most powerful credit of trust from the people. . . . This is a critical juncture for us, but we know where we want to go.” ALEXANDER VLADIMIROVICH RUTSKOI

Age: 44

Position: Vice president of Russia, air force major general

Background: As a flyer, shot down and captured by Afghan rebels twice in the 1980s, named a “Hero of the Soviet Union” after his escape . . . Yeltsin picked him as running mate in 1991 Russian presidential elections to gain support of military and party rank and file . . . Has recently sparred with Yeltsin over speed of economic reforms--he advocates more gradual transition to free market--and has attacked “anarchy” that he feels present Russian government has wreaked upon nation.

Quote: “The White House (Yeltsin’s headquarters) has become a place of intrigues. And no one knows anymore where we’re going and what our goal is.”

ANATOLY ALEXANDROVICH SOBCHAK

Age: 54

Position: Mayor of St. Petersburg

Background: Born in Siberian city of Chita, raised in Uzbekistan, he came to Leningrad as student . . . Graduated from Leningrad State University’s law school, later serving there as professor and dean . . . Elected people’s deputy of Soviet Union in 1989, mayor of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) in May, 1990 . . . Before August coup, Sobchak--early supporter of Yeltsin and advocate of radical market reforms--enjoyed one of highest popularity ratings in country . . . Has favored “new union of sovereign states” proposed by ex-Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev . . . Lost popularity due to anger over lack of food in St. Petersburg.

Quote: “Behind Yeltsin we can glimpse people even more radical than he is. This is a frightening thought, and this process, so resembling the French Revolution, must be stopped.” ISLAM ABDUGANIYEVICH KARIMOV

Age: 53

Position: President of Uzbekistan

Background: Born in Samarkand, graduated from Central Asian Polytechnic Institute and Tashkent Institute of National Economics . . . Began political career in 1966 with Uzbek State planning body, becoming finance minister in 1983 . . . Named first secretary of Uzbekistan Communist Party in 1989, chosen president by republic’s legislature in March, 1990 . . . Reelected in republic-wide popular elections this month.

Quote: “We think that (Russia’s role in combating the August coup) is no reason for (Russia) aspiring to the leading role of the Union, and to place itself above other republics.”

YEVGENY IVANOVICH SHAPOSHNIKOV

Age: 49

Position: Air marshal, interim commander in chief of Commonwealth of Independent States’ armed forces

Background: Born in Bolshoi Log, a Cossack village in southern Russia, he later chose flying as career because there was an airfield near his hometown . . . A fighter pilot, he rose quickly through ranks, becoming Soviet air force commander in East Germany in 1987, later commander in chief of Soviet air force . . . Gorbachev named him defense minister on Aug. 23 to replace coup plotter Dmitry Yazov . . . During putsch, he is said to have been instrumental in ordering withdrawal of troops from Moscow streets.

Quote: “There can be no putsch with participation of the army. We have learned from the bitter experience of the August events, when they tried to use the military for political ends.”

YEGOR TIMUROVICH GAIDAR

Age: 35

Position: Russia’s deputy prime minister for economic policy

Background: Grandfather Arkady was Red Army regiment commander at 16, later author of popular children’s books . . . Before appointment by Yeltsin in November, Gaidar was director of Institute of Economic Policy . . . He has pressed for radical economic reforms while admitting that they will initially be painful for public . . . Recently he announced that Russia’s economic reform plan, which includes ending state subsidies and raising prices to compensate, will begin Jan. 2.

Quote: “In the concrete situation of this country, any long-term discussion about very nice things like structural reform or privatization is absolutely out of touch with the financial reality.”

AYAZ N.O. MUTALIBOV

Age: 53

Position: President of Azerbaijan

Background: Born in Baku, educated at Azerbaijan Institute of Petroleum and Chemistry . . . During 1960s, worked at land reclaimation institute, and in 1977 began political career in Baku Communist Party . . . Elected first secretary of Azerbaijan Communist Party in 1990, has been republic’s president since May of that year . . . Earlier this month, he announced he was taking control of Soviet armed forces on his territory.

Quote: “Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples, during all of ancient history, always bore more kindness than evil, which is introduced, I consider, by definite forces during the years of perestroika. “

ALEXI II

Age: 62

Position: Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia

Background: Leader of Russian Orthodox Church was born Alexei Ridiger, into an ethnic German family, in Tallinn, Estonia, where father was an Orthodox priest . . . Studied at Leningrad Theological Seminary and Academy, receiving doctorate in theology in 1953 . . . While advancing in church hierarchy in Estonia, he held important post of administrative head of Moscow Patriarchate . . . He headed church in Estonia, then Leningrad, finally was named patriarch of Moscow in June, 1990 . . . With religious freedom granted that year after decades-long hiatus in Soviet Union, he has become more prominent figure in Russia, more outspoken on both religious and political matters than previous Russian Church leaders . . . Gave his blessing to Yeltsin during Russian presidential elections last summer, and urged soldiers “not to allow fraternal blood to be spilled” during coup d’etat last August.

Quote: “Holy Russia is coming back to life.”