Vladimir Putin Appoints Acting Heads of Five Regions

Prior to the elections, Mari El was headed by Yuri Zaitsev, the Kirov region by Alexander Sokolov, the Ryazan region by Pavel Malkov, the Saratov region by Roman Busargin, and the Tomsk region by Vadimir Mazur.

The Kremlin indicated that the head of state personally met with officials before signing the document.

It's worth reminding that the former leaders of these regions announced their intention to leave their positions in agreement with the president. Most of them have expired. The elections of the heads of these entities will be held on a single voting day.

On the eve it became known that the governor of the Tomsk region Sergey Zhvachkin was resigning. After that, a similar statement was made by the head of the Kirov region, Igor Vasiliyev. Then three more colleagues joined them: Governor of Mari El Alexander Yevstifeyev, head of the Saratov region Valery Radayev and head of Ryazan Nikolay Lyubimov.