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hatrack

(59,442 posts)
Tue Nov 10, 2020, 08:17 AM Nov 2020

Putin Reshufles Staff In Charge Of Arctic And Environmental "Policy"

Speculations about a possible major reshuffle have been in the air for some time, and on Monday President Putin issued the decrees that amend the composition of the Russian government crew.

The changes include the dismissal of Dmitry Kobylkin, the man who has headed the Ministry of Natural Resources since 2018. Kobylkin has his background in the oil and gas industry and for more than eight years headed the energy-rich Yamal Nenets Autonomous Okrug. He is now replaced by Aleksandr Kozlov, the minister of the Far East and Arctic.
Environmental crisis

The two ministries have key responsibilities in the management of federal policies towards the Arctic. It is not clear what is the main reason for the reshuffle, but Kobylkin and his ministry has over the last months struggled with the handling of two major environmental crisis situations. The spill of more than 20,000 tons of diesel oil in Nornickel’s facilities in remote Arctic peninsula Taymyr polluted vast areas of lakes, rivers and tundra. And few weeks later appeared a serious situation in Kamchatka where chemical substances are believed to have ruined major coastal areas and marine ecosystems.

Aleksandr Kozlov is seen as an up-and-coming government official. The 41 year old man took over the reigns in the Ministry of the Far East in 2018, at the same time that Kobylkin became natural resource minister.

EDIT

https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2020/11/putin-reshuffles-top-team-environment-and-arctic

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