Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov finally unveiled his new government--and it looks a lot like the government of his predecessor, Mikhail Fradkov.

Here's who's back: Most importantly for those of you waiting to complete an adoption in Russia, Andrei Alexandrovich Fursenko, minister of education and science. Fursenko has held that post since May 2004, and it is good to see him back in charge of this key ministry. Minister of the Internal Affairs Rashid Gumarovich Nurgaliyev is also back. A former KGB officer, he has also held his current post since May 2004.

But it seems that there are also two losses to the adoption world. According to the decrees posted on the Kremlin's Web site, Vladimir Vasilyevich Ustinov is replacing Yury Chaika as minister of justice. I can't find a lot of biographical information out there on Ustinov, other than he is a native of Khabarovsk krai in the Russia Far East. Chaika had been minister of justice since June 2006.

And as expected, Minister of Health Mikhail Zurabov is out, replaced by a woman, Tatiana Alekseyevna Golikova. I know that the health reforms that Zurabov tried to push through were not popular, but I am still sad to see him go. I believe that, as an adoptive father, he could have had a key role in increasing domestic adoption in Russia. As for Golikova, this is the former deputy finance minister and not the ballerina by the same name. She is, in an interesting twist, the wife of Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko, who has been re-appointed.

He's just one of the familiar faces who are back. Sergei Ivanov and Dmitry Medvedev, who had served as first deputy prime ministers under Fradkov, will both hold that position again under Zubkov. But they will be joined by former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. And although Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov had tendered his resignation because he is Zubkov's son-in-law, Putin reportedly rejected it and Serdyukov is back.

And just one more reminder that reading the tea leaves isn't all it's cracked up to be. German Gref was, according to the pundits, a shoe-in again as economic development and trade minister because his staff hadn't cancelled a planned visit to Washington, D.C. in early October. But it looks like his reservations will have to be changed to his former deputy Elvira Nabiullina, who is replacing him in the top job.

For more on how the pundits are handicapping the new Russian government, click here.

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