Russian State Duma approves new transport minister appointment

The Russian State Duma has approved the appointment of Andrey Nikitin as the new Minister of Transport during a plenary session held on July 8.

Nikitin's candidacy was supported by 408 deputies, with no votes against or abstentions, Caliber.Az reports, citing the State Duma.

Following the confirmation, Nikitin emphasised that one of his key priorities will be tackling congestion issues at Russian airports.

The appointment comes a day after President Vladimir Putin dismissed former Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt, who was found dead following the dismissal. Nikitin, who previously served as the governor of the Novgorod region and deputy minister, was named acting minister on July 7.

By Sabina Mammadli