President Vladimir Putin on Monday approved a major reshuffle of top government officials, coming weeks after Russia held parliamentary elections that handed the ruling United Russia party its largest-ever majority.
The personnel changes replace nearly half of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s deputy prime ministers, according to independent journalist Farida Rustamova.
Rustamova said Dmitry Grigorenko’s removal from the post of chief of government staff was unexpected given his role as Mishustin’s “right-hand man” and his position being among “the most important in the government.”
Mishustin’s spokesman later said Grigorenko himself had requested to be transferred to another post. Mishustin nominated First Deputy Finance Minister Irina Okladnikova to replace Grigorenko.
In other notable changes, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov will go on to serve as a deputy prime minister in addition to remaining in his role at the Finance Ministry, a post he has held since 2011. Siluanov previously held a dual position as deputy prime minister from 2018 to 2020 under former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
Transportation Minister Andrei Nikitin will become a deputy prime minister tasked with overseeing the development of Russia’s transportation sector, among other things. The vacancy was left open after Vitaly Savelyev resigned following his election to the lower-house State Duma in late September.
Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation agency Rosaviatsia, was nominated to succeed Nikitin as transportation minister.
Likewise, Primorye region Governor Oleg Kozhemyako was nominated to serve as deputy prime minister and presidential envoy to Russia’s Far Eastern Federal District. He will replace Yury Trutnev, who sources told the Vedomosti newspaper could be appointed to another Kremlin post.
The reshuffle follows State Duma elections last month, which renewed the ranks of parliament and came as Russian officials scramble to find new sources of economic growth amid strained government finances, increasingly burdensome taxes and high interest rates.
State Duma leadership was alerted over the weekend to hold last-minute meetings on Monday to approve the cabinet nominations and schedule confirmation votes, according to Vedomosti.
Reuters contributed reporting.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.