Alexei Golovkov: Ran the campaign for the Kremlin-backed Unity Party, which finished a surprise second to the communists in the Dec. 19 Duma elections. Now heads a government-controlled insurance company.

Gleb Pavlovski: A controversial former dissident (now shunned in dissident circles), founder of a Moscow think tank and longtime adviser to Yeltsin’s inner circle.

Dmitry Kozak: A lawyer, he’s now Putin’s chief of staff; he’ll be the main manager of his presidential campaign.