Less than two weeks before Vladimir Putin steps down as president, a government reshuffle has seen several officials from the Russian President's Office moved to new positions.
Dmitry Peskov, who used to be the first deputy press attaché to the Russian president, has been appointed as press secretary to the prime minister. Peskov will also hold the post of deputy head of the Russian Government Office. The presidential speechwriter and the chief of protocol were also moved to the Government's office. The State Duma is expected to approve Vladimir Putin as prime minister after newly elected president Dmitry Medvedev is sworn in at the beginning of May.