Gazprom members, such as Chernomyrdin and the Gazprom Chief Executive Officer, Rem Viakhirev, engaged in asset-stripping. Gazprom assets were shared amongst their relatives. Itera, a gas trading company also received Gazprom assets. In March 1998, for reasons unrelated to his activities at Gazprom, Chernomyrdin was fired by Yeltsin. On 30 June 1998, Chernomyrdin was made Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom. When, in June 2000, Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia, he acted to gain control over Russia's oligarchs, and increase the Government of Russia's control in important companies through a program of national champions. Putin fired Chernomyrdin
Gazprom Armenia announced, that Gazprom will buy additional ARG-shares and then controls 58% of the companies equity capital. On 27 October 2006 Gazprom's Executive Board approved acquire additional issues of ARG, which is most likely part of April's controversial deal. According to Karen Karapetyan, Gazprom will pay $118.8 million to have the commanding share of ARG. In January 2014 Gazprom agreed to purchase another 20% of ARG bringing Gazprom's ownership to 100% of the company. The company was renamed Gazprom Armenia. The agreed was signed by Chairman Alexey Miller (Gazprom) and Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan. Since Armenia