Pecking Order

Vying for the succession

As Kremlinologists scrutinized the lineup of Politburo members waiting to greet Poland's General Wojciech Jaruzelski, they noticed a subtle, but possibly important, change. Konstantin Chernenko, 70, a burly, longtime crony of Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev's, occupied the No. 3 position in the receiving line. Only Premier Nikolai Tikhonov, whose presence was required by protocol, stood closer to the ailing Soviet leader. The white-maned Chernenko's commanding position set off speculation that he had won a round or two in the behind-the-scenes struggle to succeed the 75-year-old Brezhnev. At the same time, there were other indications last week in the byzantine political world of Moscow suggesting that Chernenko, and perhaps even his boss Brezhnev, were the targets of veiled challenges from restless colleagues.

The battle for the succession entered a new, uncharacteristically visible phase last month with the death of Party Ideologue Mikhail Suslov, whose influence in the Kremlin had been second only to Brezhnev's. Says an experienced diplomat in Moscow: "While Suslov was alive, he kept the lid on pretty strongly." Alexei Shibaev, 67, a protege of both Suslov and Brezhnev, lost his job as head of the Central Council of Trade Unions last week. According to rumors, as many as 4,000 Suslov-backed officials may have been fired since his death. Chernenko has moved aggressively to fill the void. Significantly, he stood immediately beside Brezhnev at Suslov's funeral, while Chernenko's leading rival, Andrei Kirilenko, 75, remained at a conspicuous distance.

As Kremlinologists mulled over the implication of the pecking order, Moscow was abuzz with rumors that contenders for Brezhnev's job, weary of waiting for their leader's demise, were attempting to force his resignation by impugning members of his family. These stories were fueled by a series of scandals that have erupted in Moscow involving extortion and illicitly obtained diamonds. One centered on Boris Buriatov, a sometime singer known as Boris the Gypsy, who reportedly made himself conspicuous among the drably dressed denizens of Moscow by wearing a long sable coat, mink tie and diamond neckpin. He was arrested earlier this year and is rumored to have been involved in a multimillion-dollar diamond theft ring. When Boris was questioned by police about the large cache of diamonds discovered in his possession, :the name of a close friend is said to lave come up: Brezhnev's daughter Galina.

The gossip linking Galina with Boris seemed credible because of her longtime association with Soviet entertainers. She was once married to a circus strongman and animal trainer. Galina is also rumored to have been friendly with the head of the Soviet State Circus, Anatoli Kolevatov, who is being investigated for extorting bribes from performers. Diamonds and foreign currency worth more than $1 million were reportedly found in Kolevatov's Moscow apartment.

According to reliable sources, Suslov had ordered KGB General Semyon Tsvigun to halt the investigations in an effort to shield Brezhnev. Thwarted and angry, Tsvigun is said to have killed himself. Following Suslov's death, the KGB resumed its inquiries and the scandals exploded.

Even Brezhnev has seemingly been ridiculed in an article published in the monthly literary magazine Avrora. Though the piece was ostensibly about an elderly writer "who refuses to die," many people read it as a gibe at Brezhnev, who has proved reluctant to step down from office in spite of his infirmities.

Some U.S. and British analysts believe that in attacking Brezhnev, some Politburo members are only trying to weaken Chernenko, who is evidently positioning himself for the top job. Though many Western experts still consider Kirilenko, the senior member of the Politburo after Brezhnev, more likely to take over following Brezhnev's resignation or death, Kirilenko has been absent from recent state functions. But whether Kirilenko or Chernenko wins out, either one of the septuagenarians could end up serving only as a caretaker while such "younger" Politburo members as Viktor Grishin, 67, and Grigori Romanov, 59, vie for position. If so, neither the power struggle nor the rumormongering in Moscow will cease for long.

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