Russian President Vladimir Putin may soon appoint a new aide for foreign affairs, the Kommersant newspaper reported Wednesday.
Sixty-nine-year-old Yury Ushakov, who currently holds the position, could retire some time before March 2017, an unnamed source close to the presidential administration told the newspaper.
Ushakov has occupied his current post since May 2012. He previously served as Putin's deputy chief of staff, and worked as Russia's ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2008.
Ushakov has advised the president during a particularly strenuous period of Russia's international relations, including the annexation of the Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine, and the military campaign in Syria.
“He loves his work and got used to doing it well,” Kommersant's source said.
Potential replacements for Ushakov include Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov, or even Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.
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