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By decree of the acting president, Mikhail Kasyanov was appointed first deputy prime minister and finance minister.

Mr Putin also signed decrees appointing Viktor Khristenko deputy prime minister; Sergei Shoigu deputy prime minister and minister of civil defence, emergencies and disaster relief; and Nikolai Aksyonenko minister of communications.

Pavel Borodin was relieved of his duties as head of the Administrative Directorate of the President because he was transferred to another position.

Later, when speaking with reporters, the acting president pointed out that all changes to the composition of the government were minor, temporary and connected with the pre-election situation in the country. He stressed that the work of the Cabinet must not be weakened even for a second.

One of the main goals of the changes was to appoint a reliable coordinator of the government’s work, namely, First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, said Mr Putin.

The acting president also said that the newly appointed deputy prime minister, Sergei Shoigu, would be in charge of the ministries and agencies whose activity was related to the Emergencies Ministry.