Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday appointed State Duma deputy speaker Vyacheslav Volodin as a deputy prime minister and the government's chief of staff.
Volodin, also a ruling United Russia party official, was proposed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's government to replace Sergei Sobyanin, who was confirmed as the new Moscow mayor earlier on Thursday.
"I have known you for a long time, I know your business skills and agree with the proposal of the Russian government," Medvedev told Volodin at a meeting.
The president said the appointment was not connected with Volodin's membership of the United Russia party but was primarily due to his capacity to organize work well.
GORKI, October 21 (RIA Novosti)
