President's new man in Northwest Russia

Vinnichenko, a 46 year old lawyer with background from the Leningrad State University, takes over the reigns of the Northwest Russian Federal District from Ilya Klebanov. A presidential decree posted on the Kremlin’s main website states that Vinnichenko takes over the job with immediate effect. President Dmitry Medvedev also appoints new leaders for the Central District and in the Ural District.

The new leader of the Northwest Russian Federal District has had a rocket-speed success career. In 2008, he was appointed leader of the Ural Federal District. Before that, he headed the Federal Bailiff Service. He has also served as Procurator for the City of Sankt Petersburg, as well as Federal Inspector for the same city.

Ilya Klebanov will now have to leave the office he has headed since 2003. The decree from Medvedev reads that he is appointed to a new position, but does not specify where. According to newspaper Vedomosti, Klebanov has long wanted to move to Moscow. He might get a high post in the Bank of Moscow, which is headed by the powerful and influential Gennady Timchenko, the newspaper writes.

With the dismissal of Ilya Klebanov, President Medvedev has now replaced all of the federal district leaders appointed in the presidency of Vladimir Putin.

The Russian federal districts were established in year 2000 by newly elected President Vladimir Putin. They have since been the president’s coordinating units in the regions. There are currently eight federal districts. The Northwest Russian Federal District includes eleven federal subjects, among them all the Russian member regions in the Barents Region. The district is headed from St. Petersburg.

Nikolai Vinnichenko will be the fourth leader of the Northwest Russian Federal District. Before Klebanov, the office was headed shortly by Valentina Matvienko (2003) and Viktor Cherkesov (2000-2003).