President Vladimir Putin hasappointed a military officer from occupied eastern Ukraine as his envoy to Russias Urals region, a key defense industry hub.Lieutenant Colonel Artyom Zhoga, the chairman of the Russian-installed parliament of Ukraines Donetsk region, gained fame when he was filmed last Decemberasking Putin to stand for re-election.
During the choreographed exchange, Putin agreed to seek a fifth term.Zhoga, 49, is the father of a pro-Moscow separatist battalion commander who was killed in eastern Ukraine in the early days of Russias full-scale invasion.The Kremlin said Putin met Zhoga on Wednesday to offer him the post of presidential envoy in Russias Urals Federal District, which comprises six regions.Its a big and important job.
The Urals is an industrial region with a large number of defense industry enterprises, Putin told Zhoga.A presidential decreepublished that evening named Zhoga the new Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Urals Federal District.
He replaces Vladimir Yakushev, whom Putin also dismissed from the Russian Security Council last month.Presidential envoys liaise between the Kremlin and Russia's regions and oversee their compliance with federal laws as well as the work of federal agencies.Zhoga is the highest-profile Kremlin appointee to graduate from its Time of Heroes professional training program following Putins pledge that Ukraine war veterans would become Russias new elite.