Twenty-seven years ago today, on September 11, 1998 (July 21, 1998 lunar calendar), the Russian government crisis ended. Yevgeny Primakov (left) was elected Prime Minister of the Russian government. On September 11, 1998, the Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) held a plenary session and approved Yevgeny Primakov as Prime Minister of the Russian government with 317 votes in favor, 63 votes against, and 15 abstentions. This marked the end of the Russian government crisis that lasted for more than half a month. After President Yeltsin dissolved the Kiriyenko government on August 23, he nominated former Prime Minister Chernomyrdin twice as Prime Minister, but failed in two votes in the State Duma. On September 10, Yeltsin nominated acting foreign minister. Primakov, an independent, was welcomed as prime minister by most members of the State Duma and politicians. Primakov, born in 1929, has a doctorate in economics. He served as deputy editor of Pravda and director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and other positions. He has been the foreign minister since January 1996.