Viktor Zubkov

2.1. Birth and Education

Viktor Zubkov was born on September 15, 1941, in Sverdlovsk Oblast, then part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. Some sources indicate his birthplace as the village of Arbat within the Sverdlovsk region. Before embarking on his public career, Zubkov pursued higher education, graduating from the Economic Department of the Leningrad Agriculture Institute in 1965, specializing as an economic engineer. Prior to and during his studies, he also held roles as a machine fitter and miner in Sverdlovsk.

2.2. Early Career and Public Service

Zubkov's initial professional journey involved compulsory military service and extensive work in the agricultural sector, followed by a gradual ascent through local Communist Party structures and into Saint Petersburg's municipal administration.

2.3. Financial Monitoring and Anti-Corruption Role

Zubkov's career took a significant turn when he became involved in financial oversight and anti-money laundering efforts, a role that positioned him as a key figure in combating financial crime within Russia. On November 5, 2001, he departed from his positions in the Tax Ministry to assume the role of First Deputy Finance Minister of Russia and Chairman of the Financial Monitoring Committee of the ministry. This new committee was specifically established with the aim of combating money laundering.

His tenure in this role continued even after the dismissal of Mikhail Kasyanov's Cabinet on March 16, 2004. The Financial Monitoring Committee was subsequently renamed the Federal Financial Monitoring Service under the Finance Ministry. Zubkov retained his leadership position within this reorganized body throughout both Mikhail Fradkov's First and Second Cabinets, serving in this capacity until September 12, 2007, when he was nominated for Prime Minister. His experience in investigating financial crimes was seen as a significant asset for his subsequent political appointments.

3.1. Prime Minister of Russia

On September 12, 2007, President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly proposed Viktor Zubkov's candidacy for the post of Prime Minister of Russia, following the resignation of Mikhail Fradkov's cabinet earlier that day. The nomination was approved by the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, on September 14, 2007, with 381 members of parliament voting in favor.

During his brief tenure as Prime Minister, various political analysts, or Kremlinologists, offered different interpretations of his appointment. Some viewed Zubkov as primarily a "technical prime minister," implying his role was to manage the government's day-to-day operations rather than setting a significant new policy direction, and that his appointment might have been a strategic move by Putin to restart competition among potential successors. Another theory suggested that Putin chose Zubkov due to his unquestioning loyalty and his previous experience in leading the fight against financial crime, which could be useful in controlling powerful factions within the Kremlin.

Notably, Putin publicly stated that Zubkov was one of five individuals who could potentially run for and be elected President of Russia in 2008. On September 13, 2007, Zubkov himself indicated that he might consider running for president in the upcoming 2008 election. However, in December 2007, President Putin officially endorsed Dmitry Medvedev for the 2008 presidential election, effectively ending Zubkov's prospects for the presidency. Zubkov's cabinet was automatically dismissed on May 7, 2008, a procedure mandated by the Russian Constitution upon the inauguration of a new President of Russia, which in this instance was Dmitry Medvedev.

3.2. First Deputy Prime Minister

Following the dismissal of his cabinet and the inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev as President, Viktor Zubkov was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia on May 12, 2008. This appointment was made by the new Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, who had transitioned to the head of government after his second presidential term. In this role, Zubkov shared responsibilities with Igor Shuvalov and continued to serve until May 21, 2012. Concurrently, from June 27, 2008, he was also appointed chairman of the board of directors for Gazprom, a position he held simultaneously with his First Deputy Prime Minister role.

3.3. Acting Prime Minister

Zubkov briefly served as Acting Prime Minister of Russia for a short period in 2012. This temporary role occurred from May 7 to May 8, 2012. The need for an acting prime minister arose when Vladimir Putin, who had been serving as prime minister since 2008, officially re-assumed the presidency on May 7, 2012, thereby vacating the prime ministerial office. Zubkov filled this interim position until Dmitry Medvedev's appointment as the new Prime Minister was officially approved by the Russian parliament on May 8, 2012.

4.1. Chairman of Gazprom Board of Directors

On June 27, 2008, while still serving as First Deputy Prime Minister, Viktor Zubkov was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Gazprom. Gazprom is Russia's largest corporation and one of the largest oil and natural gas companies globally. His appointment to this influential business position, concurrent with his senior governmental role, highlighted the interconnectedness of Russia's political and corporate elites. Zubkov continues to hold this significant position as of his eighties, maintaining considerable influence over one of the world's most critical energy entities.

5.1. Family and Relationships

Viktor Zubkov is married to Zoya Mikhailovna, who was born in the Novgorod Oblast and, like her husband, is a graduate of the Leningrad Agriculture Institute. She is also known to be the owner of the Nefertiti Salon.

The couple has a daughter, Yulia Pokhlebenina, born in 1970. Yulia is an alumna of the Institute of Finance and Economics and owns the "Parus" water fitness club in Saint Petersburg. Public information suggests that both Viktor Zubkov and his daughter have acquired substantial incomes, reportedly in the millions of dollars. Yulia's first husband was Nikolai Gennadievich Pokhlebenin, whose father, Gennady Alekseevich Pokhlebenin, was the former first secretary of the Priozersk City Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, maintaining close ties with Viktor Zubkov. Yulia Zubkova and her first husband jointly established the joint-stock company "Sever." The eldest grandchild of Viktor Zubkov, Anastasia Pokhlebenina, born in 1993, studied at the Faculty of Law at Saint Petersburg State University and is currently a restaurant director.

Yulia's second marriage was to Anatoly Eduardovich Serdyukov, a Saint Petersburg businessman. Serdyukov later advanced within the structures of the Russian Federal Tax Service, similar to Zubkov's own career path, and went on to serve as the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation from 2007 to 2012. This marriage connected Zubkov to another high-ranking figure in the Russian government. Viktor Zubkov's youngest grandchild, Natalia Anatolievna Serdyukova, is a student.

Information regarding Zubkov's parents indicates his father was Aleksey Andreevich Zubkov, born on February 27 (March 12), 1914, in the village of Martynovka, Kurgan Oblast. He was subjected to political persecution in 1930 and deported from the Kirovsky district of Murmansk region due to a resolution on strengthening socialist reconstruction in agriculture against kulaks. He was rehabilitated on October 14, 1992, by the Murmansk Regional Directorate of Internal Affairs. His mother was Anastasia Alexandrovna Zubkova. Viktor also has a sister, Tamara Alekseevna Zubkova (born 1944), married to Vladimir Timoshkov, and two brothers, Alexander Alekseevich Zubkov, an X-ray laboratory assistant at Monchegorsk city hospital in Murmansk, and Nikolai Alekseevich Zubkov.

6.1. Orders and Decorations

Zubkov has been awarded several classes of the prestigious Order "For Merit to the Fatherland":

• 1st class**
• 2nd class** (awarded on September 19, 2008) - for his significant personal contribution to the economic policy of the state and many years of fruitful activity.
• 3rd class** (awarded on May 9, 2006) - for outstanding contribution to protecting the economic interests of the Russian Federation and many years of diligent work.
• 4th class** (awarded on April 11, 2000) - for services to the state and a major contribution to the implementation of economic reforms.

Other notable honors and awards include:

• A ceremonial dagger.
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour (awarded in 1981).
• Order of the Badge of Honour (awarded in 1975).
• Medal "Veteran of Labour" (awarded in 1986).
• Honored Economist of the Russian Federation (awarded on September 16, 2001) - for services in the field of economics and finance.
• Diploma of the Government of the Russian Federation (awarded in 1998).
• Honorary Citizen of the Leningrad Region (awarded in 2009).
• Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, 1st class (awarded by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2011).

7.1. Public Perception and Influence

In a 2006 survey conducted among political experts, Viktor Zubkov was ranked as the 84th most influential politician in Russia. This assessment came shortly before his unexpected rise to the position of Prime Minister, indicating a growing but not yet top-tier level of influence among political observers at that time.

7.2. Criticisms and Sanctions

While much of Zubkov's career has focused on financial oversight and economic policy, he has also faced criticism and, more recently, international sanctions. His association with the Russian government led to him being targeted by sanctions. Specifically, the United Kingdom government imposed sanctions on Viktor Zubkov on February 24, 2023. These sanctions were enacted in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War, reflecting a broader international effort to sanction individuals perceived as supporting or benefiting from the Russian government's actions.