MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has renewed the structure of the government staff, appointing new heads of government departments, the decree published on the official website of the Russian Cabinet of Ministers informs.

Nikolai Arkhipov has maintained his position as head of the Defense Industry Department. Head of the State Defense Order Department Boris Nakonechny has also retained his duties. Viktor Kuznetsov was appointed head of the Department of the Development of International Cooperation instead of Elmir Tagirov, who now serves as Deputy Chief of the Government Staff. Boris Belyakov now heads the government’s press service.

The Department of Culture has been transformed into the Department of Culture, National and Youth Policy, with its former head Pyotr Skorospelov as acting director. Alexander Valyayev was assigned as head of the Protocol Department. The decree also appoints Kirill Lysogorsky as head of the Industry Department, Yevgeny Komar — as chief of the IT Department and Alexander Vishnyakov — as head of the HR Department. Yevgenia Bozhenova now serves as head of the Regulatory Policy Department, while Maxim Stepanov heads the Department of Regional Development and Infrastructure.

The Department of Social Development has been transformed into the Department of Healthcare and Social Development, with its chief Sergei Velmyaikin keeping his position. Vasily Toloko (head of the Department of Economic Development and Finance), Konstantin Parfenov (head of the Legal Department), and Andrei Ryakhovsky (head of the Case Management Department) have also maintained their previous posts. Igor Smirnov became head of the Department of Administrative and Technical Support, Marina Volkova — head of the Records Department, and Pavel Stepanov now heads the Department of Legislative Support.

The Russian PM has also nominated several officials as acting directors of the following departments: the Department of Control (Sergei Vasiliev), the Department of Administrative Support (Sergei Protsenko), the Department of Organizing Project Activity (Dmitry Nekrasov), the Natural Resources Department (Irina Antekhina), and the Department of Enlightenment, Higher Education and Science (Alexei Zaklyazminsky).

Russia’s government said it would resign on January 15, just hours after President delivered his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly (both houses of Russia’s parliament), announcing ambitious measures of social protection and putting forward a proposal to amend Russia’s Constitution.

The President nominated Mikhail Mishustin, the head of Russia’s tax service, for prime minister. On January 16, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, backed the candidate at its plenary session and Putin immediately signed a decree appointing Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s prime minister.

On January 21, the Russian leader fixed the new structure of the Russian government in a presidential decree. The new Russian government will consist of 21 ministers, eight of whom have been newly appointed for their positions.