The Kremlin answered the question about the employment of the former head of Chukotka

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that he was unaware of plans for further employment in the civil service of the former governor of Chukotka, Roman Kopin.

On the eve of March 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin freed Kopin from the post of head of the region at his own request. The president appointed Vladislav Kuznetsov, who was previously the first deputy chairman of the government of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), to the post of acting head of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

In this regard, journalists asked Peskov whether the former governor would be employed somewhere, in particular, in some state authorities.

“While I am not aware of this, if any decisions are made, we will inform you,” the spokesman replied.

Kopin has headed Chukotka since 2008. In early February, Vedomosti, citing sources wrotethat Kopin himself had long wanted to retire. Then one of the interlocutors of the publication noted that the decision would depend entirely on the search for a “worthy replacement”, since “the region is not easy.”

Kuznetsov since the 1990s. have worked in various banking and business structures. From 2005 to 2013, Kuznetsov worked in the structures of the petrochemical holding “Sibur”, including in senior positions, for example, deputy general director of Sibur-motors, general director of Sibur-polyef, Sibur-PET, etc. At the same time, his biography does not say anything about his connection with the region, which now to be in charge.

Kuznetsov made his political career in different regions. In 2013, he was elected a deputy from United Russia of the kurultai (legislative assembly) of Bashkiria, but even after that he maintained ties with Sibur – he was an adviser to its general director, and after that, since 2018, he has been the head of the charitable foundation for supporting social projects Sibur holding” “Formula of good deeds”. In January 2019, he was appointed vice-governor of the Kurgan region and worked in this position until December 2021. In June 2022, even before the referendums on joining Russia, by decree of the head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, he was appointed first deputy chairman of the government of the republic.