Boris Yeltsin, 68, surprised the world Friday with a New Year’s Eve announcement that he was resigning as the president of Russia. While many political analysts implied that he was bullied into resigning in order to escape allegations of office corruption, Ohio State professor Timothy Frye, says otherwise. “I think Yeltsin wanted to do this,” said Frye, an assistant professor of political science. “He wanted (Vladimir) Putin to be his successor and he thinks by doing this he will maximize Putin’s chances to win the presidency.”Yeltsin, who became Russia’s first democratically elected president in 1991, appointed Prime Minister Putin, 47, acting president until elections can be held in March.Putin is the fourth prime minister to serve under Yeltsin in the last two years. An ex-operative in the KGB, Russia’s former secret police and intelligence agency, Putin became prime minister in August and has quickly risen to a position of political prominence and popularity among the Russian people.”Putin’s popularity has been linked to his handling of the Chechnya War,” Frye said. “But I think the other side of his popularity is that he is seen as a very competent, serious and energetic leader, whereas Yeltsin has been sick for much of the last few years.”The Yeltsin administration has recently come under scrutiny for alleged corruption, and some political analysts have suggested that Yeltsin was forced to resign as the price of immunity from prosecution.As one of Putin’s first official actions, Yeltsin was granted immunity from prosecution.The immunity is not ironclad, Frye said. Another president could rescind the order and immunity could be granted only to Yeltsin, not to his family, which is where much of the allegations of corruption are focused.However, Frye does see Yeltsin’s actions as somewhat manipulative.”It would have been nice if Yeltsin had finished his term so that the regular electoral calendar could have been followed,” he said.The Russian Constitution requires that elections be held within 90 days of the transfer of power.Now, with Putin as acting president and the elections moved from June to March, Yeltsin’s resignation shortens campaigning by three months and minimizes the chances of any new developments in Chechnya hurting Putin’s chances of becoming Russia’s second president, Frye said.