Support The Moscow Times!

Putin's Governor Rules

President Vladimir Putin on Monday set rules for naming leaders of the country's 89 regions after pushing through a law that abolished their direct election.

The decree, signed by Putin and distributed by the Kremlin, gives the presidential chief of staff the tasks of drawing up and submitting the lists of candidates for governors to the president.

Presidential envoys to the seven federal districts will compile names of candidates and pass them to the Kremlin. The process of nominating candidates will take into account their image, business reputation and track record as a civil servant or public figure, the decree said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more