Mr Vladimir Putin, a former spy with no record in electoral politics, won quick approval from parliament yesterday as Russia's fifth prime minister in 17 months.
The decision not to rock the political boat by opposing President Boris Yeltsin's latest change of government came only hours after Mr Yeltsin said there was no need to impose a state of emergency in spite of the crisis in the southern republic of Dagestan.
Parliamentary elections are due in December and some deputies feared that the crisis in the Caucasus or their rejection of Mr Putin could be used to dissolve parliament or introduce other curbs on liberty.
Only 232 deputies, barely half, voted for Mr Putin, while 84 opposed. More than 100 did not vote.
Mr Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Yabloko faction, said he could not vote for someone who had been part of the Soviet spy service for many years.
"I want to vote for a civilian and I want the security services to be headed by a civilian."
Mr Putin worked for the KGB for 17 years. For the past year, he has headed its successor, the Federal Security Service.
He told parliament he would largely continue the work of his predecessor, Mr Sergei Stepashin, and keep most ministers in their posts.
He promised to pay all pension arrears by October and cancel the debts run up by defence plants. However, he also signalled a rise in personal taxes and VAT.
Elections would be held as scheduled. "The essential goal is to ensure law and order and hold honest and fair parliamentary and presidential elections," he said.
Most seats in the new parliament are likely to go to either the communists or the block run by the Mayor of Moscow, Mr Yuri Luzhkov, and several regional governors.
The former prime minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, who leads in the polls, is to announce today whether he will head Mr Luzhkov's list.
Mr Putin said it was vital to solve the social and economic problems behind the tension in Dagestan but it was also necessary to deal firmly with the Islamic militants who seized several mountain villages 10 days ago.
Russian bombers and helicopter gunships are pounding the region.