It is hard to say what counts as the beginning of Vladimir Putin's presidency. When Boris Yeltsin stepped down Dec. 31 and Putin assumed his regency over Russia? The presidential election in March, when he won a landslide victory? May, when he was inaugurated? It is probably best to pick some date in the middle; in any case, it is fair to say that Putin has already had his first 100 days.

Throughout this period, the new Russian president has been acting like the new owner of a crumbling historic landmark, a property with an enviable lineage but poor plumbing, a beautiful front door but a leaking roof. The host and hostess may use golden plates, but all they can serve for dinner is stale bread and tap water. Yet they still feel an understandable urge to show off reminders of their dwelling's past grandeur. This is exactly what Putin has been doing.

Putin is definitely not the type of leader Russia needs. He does not know much about economics -- and apparently does not care to learn more. He is conducting foreign policy far too aggressively for a nation in crisis. He spends too much on the armed forces. He is keeping the war in Chechnya flaring. He is disturbed when the media exercise their right to free expression and does not hesitate to apply force to silence his critics. On the brighter side, he seems to be inclined to develop a partnership with the West and pays at least some attention to foreign publics (if not to his own): When Russian police arrested Vladimir Gusinsky, the mogul who controls the anti-Putin mass media, and the arrest caused an uproar abroad, Putin backpedaled and decided to let Gusinsky be -- at least for now.