4 Russian regional governors resign amid severe economic sanctions

Europe, News May 12, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Russia witnessed an unusual wave of resignations from regional governors on May 10 as the country faces a severe economic crisis due to sanctions imposed by the West.

Four Russian regional governors have resigned from their posts, while one decided not to participate in upcoming elections.

The head of the Tomsk region in Siberia Sergei Shvachkin, Governor of Kirov Oblast Igor Vasilyev, Saratov Region Governor Valery Radayev, and Mari El Governor Alexander Yevstifeev said on May 10 that they would immediately leave their offices, while the Governor of Ryazan Region Nikolai Lyubimov announced that he would not take part in the next elections.

The first to disclose the resignations from their respective offices were Shvachkin and Vasilyev. They were soon followed by Radayev and Yevstifeev.

According to Ilya Grashchenkov, the head of the Centre for the Development of Regional Politics think tank based in Moscow, “the Kremlin was removing weak governors amid a worsening economic outlook for the country, driven by Western sanctions.”

“There’s a need to restructure the economy, especially in those regions where Western economic influence had been significant. These governors need to be replaced by younger alternatives,” Grashchenkov added.

*^{Russian President Vladimir Putin with Saratov Region Governor Valery Radayev on April 12, 2021. (Image Credit: Kremlin)}*

As Western nations have imposed severe sanctions on Moscow due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia’s economy continues to suffer and many international companies have withdrawn and people lost their jobs.

According to a document released on April 27 by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the country’s economy is expected to contract by 8.8% to 12.4% in 2022.

Shortly after the Russian governors announced their resignation, the Kremlin posted on its website that President Vladimir Putin has appointed five acting governors in the Tomsk, Kirov, Saratov, and Ryazan Regions, as well as in the Mari El Republic.