Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has named Deputy Finance Minister Anton Siluanov as acting finance minister, replacing Aleksey Kudrin, who was ousted a day earlier.
Putin also said that First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov would take over Kudrin's duties as deputy prime minister, overseeing financial issues in the government.
Putin told a cabinet meeting that "both these [decisions] have naturally been agreed with President Dmitry Medvedev. It is our joint decision."
Kudrin rebelled after a weekend party congress at which former two-term president Putin and Medvedev announced their plans effectively to swap posts over the course of parliamentary elections in December and a presidential election in March.
The move by Putin, who is generally regarded as Russia's most powerful politician, could leave him unrivaled atop Russian politics for two six-year terms. He left the presidency in 2008 because of a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms.
compiled from agency reports
Putin also said that First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov would take over Kudrin's duties as deputy prime minister, overseeing financial issues in the government.
Putin told a cabinet meeting that "both these [decisions] have naturally been agreed with President Dmitry Medvedev. It is our joint decision."
Kudrin rebelled after a weekend party congress at which former two-term president Putin and Medvedev announced their plans effectively to swap posts over the course of parliamentary elections in December and a presidential election in March.
The move by Putin, who is generally regarded as Russia's most powerful politician, could leave him unrivaled atop Russian politics for two six-year terms. He left the presidency in 2008 because of a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms.
compiled from agency reports
