Putin names successor to Medvedev as Russian prime minister

by J. Edward Moreno - 01/15/20 12:31 PM ET

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday named Tax Service chief Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s new prime minister, The Washington Post reported.

The move came after Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned along with the rest of his Cabinet, marking a shake-up that was reportedly directed by Putin, who is seeking to ensure he stays in office for another term before creating a permanent position for himself in the government.

Medvedev, an ally of Putin, has served as prime minister since 2012. He previously served as president.

The Associated Press reported that although Putin thanked Medvedev for his work as prime minister, he also chastened his ministers, saying they had failed to fulfill their objectives in government.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The government overhaul follows news earlier this week that Russian military officers hacked Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian gas company at the center of President Trump’s impeachment. Congressional Democrats have raised concerns that the hack was the first major sign of the Kremlin’s intention to interfere in the 2020 U.S. presidential election in a repeat of 2016.

–Updated at 12:46 p.m.

Tags Dmitry Medvedev Donald Trump Government of Russia Vladimir Putin