MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Sergey Butin a deputy foreign minister, according to a decree published on Monday.

The appointment of Butin, 59, comes into effect immediately.

In a separate decree, the Russian president canceled the post of Deputy Foreign Minister for Counterterrorism, a position previously held by Oleg Syromolotov, who retired last week.

Meanwhile, the limit number of deputy foreign ministers permitted by Russian law will stay the same at 10.