President Vladimir Putin, on Friday. signed decree appointing members of the new Russian government.
The new team was formed one week after the resignation of his ally Dmitry Medvedev as Prime Minister along with the entire cabinet.
Putin did not re-appoint Medvedev. He named the former Head of the Russian Federal Tax Service, Mikhail Mishustin, as the new Prime Minister.
Former Economic Development Minister, Maxim Oreshkin, and former Culture Minister, Vladimir Medinsky, were all appointed as presidential aides, while former Deputy Prime Minister, Dmitry Kozak became a Deputy Head of administration.
Putin increased the number of Deputy Heads of administration to three from the previous two by a separate decree.
Sergei Lavrov retained his post of the Russian Foreign Minister.
The ministers, who have also retained their former posts included: Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Energy Minister Alexander Novak, and Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov.
Anton Siluanov, who resigned as the First Deputy Prime Minister, was appointed as the Finance Minister.
Konstantin Chuichenko was appointed as the Justice Minister, and no longer serves as the Deputy Prime Minister and the chief of staff of the government.
The new PM Mishustin signed an order appointing former Labour Minister Maxim Topilin, as the Head of the Russian Pension Fund, and appointed former Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova, as the Head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency.
“The most important task is to increase the welfare of our citizens and strengthen our statehood and the position of our country in the world. All these are absolutely attainable goals,” Putin had told the new government.
“We have achieved a very balanced government. We have enough people who worked in the previous government, as well as a major renewal.”
