MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Anatoly Antonov Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

"Under a presidential decree Anatoly Anotnov has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United States of America and permanent observer of the Russian Federation at the Organization of American States in Washington, the United States of America," the announcement published on the Kremlin’s website runs.

According to another presidential decree, Antonov has been relieved from his duties as deputy foreign minister.

The Russian leader also signed a decree relieving Sergei Kislyak from his duties as Russian Ambassador to the United States and Russia’s Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States in Washington.

Anatoly Anotonov, born in 1955, graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1978. In 2004-2011, he headed the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Security and Disarmament Department, while in 2011-2016, Antonov served as deputy defense minister. In December 2016, he was appointed deputy foreign minister.