MOSCOW. Dec 6 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Chairman of the State Duma Information Policy Committee Alexander Khinshtein to the post of the Kursk region's acting governor.
"I'd like to offer you the post of acting governor of the Kursk region," Putin said at a meeting with Khinshtein on Thursday evening.
A presidential decree on Khinshtein's appointment was published on the Kremlin website on the same day.
At the meeting, Putin asked Khinshtein to take advantage of his contacts with security services in the new post, as Khinshtein served as an advisor to the Russian National Guard director and National Guard forces commander in 2016-2018.
The Kursk region is currently in need of crisis management, Putin said.
"As the territory is liberated from the enemy, a great deal will have to be done there of course to restore the housing and utilities sector, restore the economy of the territory as a whole, as well as the territory that is now being liberated by our troops. And what counts most is the need to organize measures to help people who need this aid, certainly those who need it now and in the near future," Putin said.
"You have very good practices, relations with the executive authorities and with security services due to your previous job. You should use all this to fulfill the tasks facing you," he said.
Khinshtein, in turn, said that it is a great honor to him and a manifestation of trust.
"On my part, I will do my best to live up to this trust. I hope that I will be able to fulfil all the tasks. I understand how challenging the situation in the Kursk region is today, but it makes accomplishing these tasks even more important. This is our land, and we must do everything we can to ensure that all residents of the Kursk region feel that they are part of our large country," he said.
Putin also relieved Alexei Smirnov of his duties as the Kursk region's governor on his own volition.