Russia's envoy to NATO Aleksander Grushko was relieved of his duties by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as follows from a January 22 decree published on the official legal information portal.
By another decree signed on the same day Putin appointed Grushko as Russia’s deputy foreign minister, TASS reported.
Grushko was appointed Russia’s envoy to NATO in October 2012. According to official information available on the Foreign Ministry’s website, he has been on the diplomatic service since 1977. His current diplomatic rank is ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, which was awarded to him in July 2004.
