Khasbulatov, Ruslan Imranovich

Khasbulatov, Ruslan Imranovich, 1942–, Russian politician. A Chechen from the Caucasus region, he was an academic economist in Moscow before his election (1990) to the Russian Congress of People's Deputies and parliament. A supporter of Boris Yeltsin, he served as his deputy (1990–91) and was elected chairman (speaker) of the congress and parliament in 1991. Increasingly critical of Yeltsin's economic program after 1991, he, along with Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi, led Russian legislators in their power struggle with Yeltsin in Oct., 1993. He was imprisoned after parliament's attempt to oust Yeltsin was crushed by the army, but was released (1994) in an amnesty. He was then active in Chechen politics, advocating limited sovereignty for Chechnya. In 1995 he considered running for the Chechen presidency but withdrew, criticizing the timing and fairness of the vote.