(Adnkronos) – Vladimir Putin has approved a government reshuffle after receiving Premier Mikhail Mishustin, the Kremlin announced. Following last September’s legislative elections, almost half of Mishustin’s deputy premiers are changing. But most importantly, Dmitry Grigorenko, chief of staff and deputy premier, who was considered, as journalist Farida Rustamova, quoted by Moscow Times, writes, “Mishustin’s right-hand man and the most important reference figure in the government,” is leaving his post. Deputy Finance Minister Irina Okladnikova has been appointed to his dual role.
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov also returns to his dual role as Deputy Premier (Minister of Finance since 2011, he had also been Deputy Premier, with the dual hat, from 2018 to 2020). Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin takes on the role of Deputy Premier with responsibility for transport. Dmitry Yadrov, former director of Rosaviatsia, takes his place as minister. The governor of the Primorye region, Oleg Kozhemyako, becomes Deputy Premier and Kremlin envoy for the Far East, replacing Yury Trutnev. The Constitution stipulates that the Premier’s appointments must be ratified by the State Duma, which was convened at the last minute over the weekend for a session today for a vote set, announced the Speaker of the Chamber, Vyacheslav Volodin, on Wednesday.
