Putin changes Kremlin chief of staff

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sacked the Kremlin chief of staff Sergey Ivanov and appointed him special presidential envoy for environmental activity, ecology and transport, the Kremlin press service said.

Ivanov served as Russia’s defense minister between March 2001 and February 2007. He was deputy prime minister between May 2008 and December 2011. Ivanov had led the presidential administration since December 2011.

The president has appointed Anton Vaino the new presidential chief of staff. Vaino previously held the post of deputy chief of staff, TASS reports.