Serdyukov 'Appointed' to Russian Technologies

Published: November 15, 2012 (Issue # 1735)

MOSCOW – Amid a Defense Ministry shakeup, President Vladimir Putin replaced two deputy defense ministers Thursday as former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov reportedly joined Russian Technologies as an adviser.

Putin dismissed Yelena Kozlova and Dmitry Chushkin from their posts as deputy defense ministers and replaced them with Ruslan Tsalikov, a close ally of new Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu who worked under Shoigu at the Emergency Situations Ministry and most recently served as deputy governor of the Moscow region, and Yury Borisov, a former deputy industry and trade minister who most recently held a senior post on a government military-industrial commission.

The Kremlin announced the shuffle in a brief statement.

Shoigu, who served as emergency situations minister for 18 years, was appointed Moscow region governor earlier this year but then abruptly transferred to the Defense Ministry on Nov. 6 after a corruption scandal engulfed Serdyukov.

Vedomosti, citing an unidentified official close to the leadership of Russian Technologies, reported that Serdyukov has been appointed an adviser to the state-owned corporation's head, Sergei Chemezov.

The appointment was confirmed by Interfax, which also cited a source close to the company's leadership.

But RIA-Novosti, citing a source familiar with the situation, said a final decision was pending.

Chemezov and Serdyukov have butted heads in the past. In spring 2011, Chemezov, in a public complaint to then-President Dmitry Medvedev, accused the Defense Ministry of impeding the fulfillment of contracts.