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Kremlin Confirms Vyacheslav Volodin as New Duma Speaker

Vyacheslav Volodin Denis Abramov / Vedomosti

The Kremlin has confirmed that Vyacheslav Volodin, the first deputy chief of President Vladimir Putin’s staff, is to become the new speaker of the Russian State Duma, the RBC news website reported Friday.

Sources close to the Kremlin told the Moscow Times on Wednesday that Volodin had been tipped for the move to Russia’s lower house of parliament.

The new role will formally be a promotion for Volodin, although he will lose some of the influence he once held over Russia’s domestic affairs.

Volodin’s replacement is yet to be announced, but the position is expected to be key in orchestrating the 2018 presidential elections.

The former Duma speaker, Sergei Naryshkin, have been asked to head Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

The government reshuffle follows a decisive victory for United Russia in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

The new Duma’s first session is preliminary scheduled for Oct. 5-7.

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