In surprise move, Russian cabinet reshuffled for second time this year, Minister of Energy promoted to Deputy Prime Minister
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the promotion of the long-serving energy minister, Alexander Novak, to deputy prime minister, in the first cabinet reshuffle following the appointment of PM Mikhail Mishustin.
On Monday morning, Putin revealed that, along with the creation of another deputy prime minister post, five cabinet ministries would see a change in leadership, with some new faces being introduced into the federal government.
The most high-profile upwards move is a promotion for Novak, who has served for eight years as minister of energy. Novak was named by Putin as a new deputy prime minister, joining the likes of Tatyana Golikova and Andrey Belousov as one of the 10 people to currently hold the title. Assuming his place as energy minister comes Nikolay Shulginov, the general director of RusHydro, the world’s second-largest hydroelectric power producer.
Also on rt.com Polling suggests 'regime change' in Russia would lead to far-right or Communist Kremlin, pro-Western liberals have no supportFrom outside the government, Aeroflot head Vitaly Savelyev will enter the cabinet as the minister of transport, after leading the country’s flag-carrier for a decade. Savelyev replaces Evgeny Dietrich.
Other changes include a brand-new minister of construction, housing and utilities, Irek Fayzullin; minister of natural resources and ecology, Alexander Kozlov; and minister for development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, Alexey Chekunkov.
The outgoing construction minister, Vladimir Yakushev, will now become Putin’s envoy to the Ural Federal District.
Monday’s reshuffle is the first set of significant changes since the new cabinet was appointed last January, and represents the first change in personnel since the appointment of Mishustin as prime minister.
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