Promotion for minions
Putin entrusts economic experts with new government tasks
May 11, 2024, 10:47 p.m
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After a controversial election, Putin begins his new term as Russian president. Now he distributes some items. Two economic experts receive a promotion in this context. It is still unclear what the future of Foreign Minister Lavrov and Defense Minister Shoigu will look like.
After the start of his new term in office and the confirmation of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expanding the competencies of two government members who are important for the economy. Both the Minister Denis Manturov, who was previously de facto responsible for the Russian war economy, and the Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who is responsible for the important oil and gas industry, will receive expanded tasks, as the government announced.
Mishustin and his previous cabinet constitutionally resigned when Putin began his fifth term as president on Tuesday. The 71-year-old was confirmed in March in an election that was internationally criticized as neither free nor fair. After the reappointment of the technocrat Mishustin on Friday, the personal details announced on Saturday were a further step towards forming a government. It is generally expected that Putin will focus on continuity.
However, the future of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu remained open. The announcement of the filling of these ministerial positions and other leadership positions is expected on Monday. The 74-year-old Lavrov and the 68-year-old Shoigu are among the longest-serving ministers and Putin’s closest confidants. Manturov, who previously headed the industry and trade department, is handing over his ministerial post to the previous governor of Kaliningrad, Anton Alikhanov.
Ensuring technological leadership
In return, Manturov becomes Mishustin’s first deputy. In this role, Manturov will again be responsible for the industry, the government said. This underlines how important it is to ensure technological leadership. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Nowak, who is responsible for the energy industry, will receive expanded economic tasks, it was said. The oil and gas industry remains one of Russia’s most important sources of income, even after Western sanctions following the war in Ukraine.
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Economics Minister Maxim Reshetnikov should keep their posts. The former Agriculture Minister Dmitri Patrushev, the son of the powerful Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, will also be promoted. Like Manturov, Patrushev Jr. is giving up his ministerial post. He will move up to the rank of deputy prime minister and will again be responsible for agricultural issues.