MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak is set to be promoted to the post of a deputy prime minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle, Russian media outlets Kommersant and RBC reported on Monday, citing unnamed government sources.
The shake-up, which they said was expected to be officially announced later on Monday, would also include the dismissal of Transport Minister Yevgeny Dietrich, Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev, and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dmitry Kobylkin, Kommersant and RBC reported.
Novak, 49, has served as energy minister since 2012. He has led Russia’s negotiations with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and played an important role in helping reach a 2016 deal to cut global oil output.
The energy ministry had no immediate comment on the reports, and it was unclear who would be appointed to replace Novak if the changes happened.
The transport ministry declined to comment too. An industry source told Reuters that Vitaly Saveliev, CEO of Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot, was being considered for the post of transport minister.
Aeroflot did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Anton Kolodyazhnyy, Vladimir Soldatkin and Gleb Stolyarov; Writing Gabrielle Ttrault-Farber; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
