By Guy Faulconbridge
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Poutine The Kremlin leader on Saturday assigned additional tasks to two key government officials who oversee the defense industry and energy sectors, as the Kremlin chief prepares the world’s second-largest oil exporter for a longer war in Ukraine.
Putin, who came to power just eight years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, proposed additional powers to Denis Manturov55 years old, only first deputy prime minister of the new government of the prime minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Putin’s energy chief, Alexander Novak, 52, will remain deputy prime minister for energy but will be given additional tasks to run the economy, according to the government.
Manturov oversees Russia’s military and civilian industry, which has surprised the United States and its European allies by increasing artillery production faster than the entire NATO military alliance combined despite sanctions.
“The increase in the status of Deputy Prime Minister for Industry is due to the importance of ensuring technological leadership,” the Russian government said.
Russia has said it aspires to “technological leadership in all areas,” such as aircraft manufacturing, machine tool building, radio electronics and the military-industrial complex.
Novak implemented Russia’s key relations with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE
“Novak has the necessary managerial experience,” the government said. “For a long time, he coordinated economic and financial issues in various positions, both in the business world and in municipal and public service.”
The proposals formally formulated by Mishustin must be confirmed by the lower house of parliament.
Dmitri Patrushev, former Minister of Agriculture, will become Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the agricultural sector. Oksana Lut will become Minister of Agriculture.
Putin left Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov in their posts, but proposed Sergei Tsivilev, governor of the Kemerovo region, as energy minister in place of Nikolai Shulginov. Anton Alikhanov, the 37-year-old governor of Kaliningrad, has been proposed as minister of trade and industry.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has triggered the worst fallout in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, according to Russian and U.S. diplomats.
The West presents the invasion as an imperial-style land grab and has pledged to help Ukraine defeat Russian forces. Putin presents the war as a battle with the West, which he says has tried to encroach on Russia’s sphere of influence, which he says includes Ukraine.
Russia controls 18% of Ukraine. Its economy has grown despite Western sanctions, and Russian forces are advancing in Ukraine despite hundreds of billions of dollars in Western support for Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly warned that Western support for Ukraine – including Western weapons used to strike Russian territory – risks turning the conflict into a wider European war, and says it will achieve all its goals by Ukraine.
Other major appointments, such as proposals for defence, foreign affairs and the main security services, are expected to take place on Monday.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Alex Richardson and David Holmes)
News Source : www.yahoo.com
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