Putin appoints Boris Gryzlov as Russian Ambassador to Belarus

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Boris Gryzlov as new Russian Ambassador to Belarus, according to the presidential order, published at the official legal information website Friday.

"Appoint Gryzlov Boris Vyacheslavovich as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Belarus," the document says.

Another presidential order relieves Yevgeny Lukyanov of his duty as the ambassador, which he occupied since March 2021.

On December 22, Russian State Duma Issues of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Contacts with Fellow Countrymen supported Gryzlov’s candidacy as envoy to Belarus. Previously, he served as Minister of the Interior and the State Duma Speaker. In the last few years, Gryzlov represented Russia in the Contact Group on settlement in Ukraine, and served as the chairman of the United Russia political party supreme council.