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 proposed personnel changes would 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. If lawmakers approve her candidacy, she will become the first woman to ever hold the position of chief of government staff.
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.
Russian political analysts described the reshuffle as “a major strengthening of the fiscal leadership” as officials focus on increasing state budget revenues. The lower-house State Duma must now approve the nominations.
Transportation Minister Andrei Nikitin was nominated to become 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 tapped to succeed Nikitin as transportation minister.
Primorye region Governor Oleg Kozhemyako was also 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.
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