MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin reappointed Mikhail Mishustin, one of his loyalists, as the country’s prime minister on Friday, a widely anticipated move to keep on a technocrat who has maintained a low political profile.
Mishustin and other technocrats in the Cabinet have been credited with maintaining a relatively stable economic performance despite bruising Western sanctions for Russia’s role in Ukraine. Most other Cabinet members are expected to keep their jobs, though the fate of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is uncertain. Mishustin steered clear of political statements and avoided media interviews during his previous tenure.