Speculation swirls around a potential reshuffle at Russia’s Accounts Chamber, with First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Alexander Zhukov named by some sources as a leading candidate to replace Alexei Kudrin. Kudrin reportedly intends to move to Yandex as part of a broader shift, and several federal officials have corroborated the existence of discussions surrounding Zhukov’s candidacy.
One insider described Zhukov as a strong choice who brings professionalism and integrity to the role, noting that Kudrin personally backs Zhukov. The same source indicated that other contenders exist and that no final decision has been made. It is also suggested that President Vladimir Putin could opt for an unexpected appointment, with Kudrin allegedly hoping to see Zhukov succeed him.
Zhukov’s team declined to comment on any possible transition to the Accounts Chamber, saying they were not aware of such plans.
Sergei Ivanov, a former Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Budget Committee responsible for interaction with the Accounts Chamber, recently pointed out legal updates would be needed before any title change. He explained that under the proposed constitutional revision, the head of the Accounts Chamber would be appointed and dismissed by the Federation Council rather than by the State Duma as in the past. He also noted that amendments to the Law on the Accounts Chamber had not yet been completed, though preparation was underway.
Kudrin’s departure
In September, Forbes reported that Arkady Volozh, founder of Yandex, offered a 5% stake via options to the head of the Accounts Chamber should Kudrin move to work at the tech company. The article described Volozh’s plan to reorganize Yandex’s unmanned-vehicle unit into a separate legal entity and to pursue that development abroad, which could align with Kudrin’s intended path.
A few days later, TASS, citing a source close to the negotiations, stated that Kudrin had definitively moved toward Yandex. The source suggested the decision could be formalized later in the year, possibly on November 30 or December 14. Following this, Yandex signaled potential changes to its ownership structure, with talks indicating Russian assets might be transferred to local government control.
According to RBC, Kudrin met with President Putin on the evening of November 24 to discuss not only the transition to Yandex but also how the company’s assets could be divided in the process.
Zhukov’s career
Zhukov is an alumnus of Moscow State University’s economics faculty. He began his career in 1980 with roles in foreign economic relations and later moved to the Ministry of Finance, where he led the finance department for foreign relations and served in the Monetary and Economy Main Department.
Over the years, Zhukov has held multiple parliament seats across the I, II, III, IV, VI, VII and VIII convocations and has served as First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma during the VI, VII and VIII convocations. He currently chairs key committees focused on Economic Policy, Budget and Taxes, and on Property, Land and Property Relations, while also coordinating parliamentary relations with international bodies including the United Nations, the IMF, the OECD, the EBRD and the WTO.
From 2004 to 2011, Zhukov held a deputy prime minister role in the government, including a period serving as a deputy to the prime minister. From 2010 to 2018, he led the Russian Olympic Committee. He is known to participate in social and sporting activities tied to the State Duma community and to maintain involvement in government-affiliated teams and associations.