Vladimir Putin renames Mikhail Mishustin as Prime Minister of Russia
- In Reports
- 04:24 PM, May 10, 2024
- Myind Staff
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reappointed Mikhail Mishustin as the country's prime minister following Mishustin's previous four-year tenure in the role. Mishustin adhering to Russian law, submitted his Cabinet’s resignation as Putin commenced his fifth presidential term with a grand Kremlin inauguration.
Political observers widely anticipated Mishustin's reappointment, noting Putin's appreciation for his skills and low political profile. During his previous tenure as the head of Russia’s tax service, Mishustin avoided making political statements and refrained from media interviews.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the parliament's lower house, announced that Putin has submitted Mishustin's candidacy to the State Duma. The lower house will convene later on Friday to consider Mishustin's candidacy.
According to constitutional changes approved in 2020, the lower house is responsible for approving the prime minister's candidacy, who then submits the candidacies of Cabinet members.
Mishustin's approval is considered a formality in the Kremlin-controlled parliament. Mishustin and other technocrats in the Cabinet are credited with maintaining relatively stable economic performance despite Western sanctions.
Most Cabinet members are expected to retain their positions, with their reappointments anticipated shortly. The fate of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu appears uncertain following the recent arrest of his top associate, Timur Ivanov.
Ivanov, who served as deputy defense minister overseeing multibillion military construction projects, was arrested on bribery charges and remanded in custody pending an official investigation.
The arrest of Ivanov has been widely seen as an attack on Shoigu and a potential precursor to his dismissal, despite his close personal relationship with Putin.
Shoigu faced widespread criticism for the Russian military's early setbacks in the fighting in Ukraine. He was subject to scathing attacks from mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who launched a brief attempted march on Moscow last June to demand the ouster of Shoigu and the chief of the General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov.
Following Prigozhin’s death in a suspicious air crash two months after the rebellion, which was broadly seen as Kremlin revenge for his mutiny, Shoigu appeared to shore up his position. However, Ivanov’s arrest, viewed as part of Kremlin’s political infighting, has once again exposed Shoigu’s vulnerability.
Image source: Hindustan Times
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