The Russian parliament’s lower chamber, the State Duma, approved at its extraordinary session on July 15 Denis Manturov, the minister of industry and trade, as a deputy prime minister in charge of weapons industries.
Manturov, 53, was officially nominated for the position on July 13 after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the number of deputy prime ministers to 11.
Russian news agencies quoted Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin earlier as saying the introduction of the new position was necessitated by the need to make quick decisions in the face of unprecedented Western sanctions leveled against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Shortly after the lawmakers' approval, Putin signed the decree on Manturov's appointment to the post.
The State Duma's extraordinary session also approved dozens of bills regulating measures to support Russian citizens, military personnel, and the economy.
The session also announcement that Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, who used to supervise weapons industries, has been named to replaced Dmitry Rogozin as head of the state-controlled Roskosmos space agency.