During an extraordinary plenary session, members of the DPR People’s Council voted to appoint Vitaly Khotsenko as Prime Minister, a decision confirmed by the parliamentary press service. The council stated that the deputies approved the head of the DPR and supported Khotsenko’s candidacy to lead the DPR government. The confirmation comes into effect from the date of adoption, as noted in the official document.
Khotsenko’s background includes his graduation from the fourth cohort of the so-called school of governors and his status as a finalist in the 2018-2019 Russian Leaders competition. The educational track aimed at preparing executive personnel for civil service, commonly referred to as the school of governors, began in June 2017 at the School of Public Administration and drew on the best practices from leading universities and corporate programs. The program incorporated influences from Sberbank Corporate University, Moscow School of Management Skolkovo, the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), and the Higher School of Economics, among others.
Earlier on the same day, the head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, signed a decree calling for the resignation of the current prime minister and the republican government. Pushilin also indicated that a new candidate had been submitted to the republic’s parliament to assume the role of head of the cabinet.