[2] Gustov was the head of the Leningrad Oblast Council of People's Deputies until it was dissolved in October 1993.

[2] In 1994, he served as chairman of the Federation Council's Commonwealth of Independent States affairs committee.

[4] Gustov served as governor until his appointment as first deputy prime minister on 18 September 1998.

[4] Gustov, an independent politician, was one of two first deputy prime ministers in the cabinet of Yevgeny Primakov and was in charge of regional affairs and the relations with former Soviet republics.

[7][8][9] Gustov's tenure lasted until 27 April 1999 when he was removed from post by Russian President Boris Yeltsin.