Kremlin tries to match governors to its regional needs

Significance

Five years after Sergey Kiriyenko arrived in the presidential administration to manage the political system, technocratic leaders are emerging from his programme designed to create a new generation of governors.

Impacts

• United Russia's strategy of appointing governors as local party secretaries is no guarantee of a higher vote.
• Deputy governors are gaining political power through their roles in liaising with Moscow and the security services.
• Khakhassia's leader Valentin Konovalov, a Communist elected in 2018, may be the next to face pressure to resign.