President Vladimir Putin has named Yegor Borisov as acting head of the Sakha republic, two days after accepting the politician's request to be dismissed from his post.
Borisov's term as head of the Sakha republic, formerly called Yakutia, was originally set to expire in June 2015 before he asked Putin during a meeting on Tuesday to be allowed to renew his mandate in earlier elections, which will be held in September.
A decree published on the Kremlin website said Borisov's request had been accepted, making it the thirteenth time a regional governor has been dismissed this year, though several have subsequently been reappointed.
Some analysts have linked the wave of dismissals — leading to the initiation of earlier-than-planned gubernatorial elections — with a desire by the Kremlin to tighten its grip on the regions ahead of the State Duma elections in 2015 and 2016.
The Sakha republic, which is the world's largest subnational entity in terms of land area, contains 35 percent of the world's diamonds and has become the center of several projects run by the Far East Development Ministry, which seek to capitalize on a growing Asian demand for the gems.
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.
Remind me later.
