Russia's Starr in Dogged Pursuit of Yeltsin

Vadim Filimonov, a 67-year-old former law professor, is the head of the commission of the Duma that is seeing whether grounds exist to launch an impeachment process against Boris Yeltsin. Yeltsins alleged misdeeds are far graver than sexual misconduct: He stands accused of causing the collapse of the U.S.S.R., organizing the assault on the parliament in October 1993 and instigating the war in Chechnya, among other offenses. So far, none of the star witnesses --Yeltsin and other Kremlin bosses -- have shown up to testify, something Filimonov blames on his lack of subpoena power. Still, the committee has already voted on the first three counts, and Yeltsin has lost each time. While Filimonov concedes there's scant chance of removing Yeltsin, he has other plans: "At the very least, we're laying the groundwork for a case against the president once he retires."