Russia's NATO Envoy Appointed To Government

Published December 23, 2011 2:18PM (EST)

MOSCOW (AP) — President Dmitry Medvedev has appointed Russia's envoy to NATO as deputy prime minister in charge of military procurement.

Dmitry Rogozin promised the president that he would use an "iron hand" to fight the deeply entrenched corruption that has undermined efforts to provide new weapons to Russia's armed forces.

The military prosecutor said this year that about 20 percent of the military budget was stolen by corrupt officials and contractors.

Rogozin, a nationalist politician and former parliament member, was posted to Brussels in early 2008 as Russia's envoy to the Western alliance.

Medvedev appointed him to the government position on Friday. Rogozin replaces Sergei Ivanov, who on Thursday took up a new post as Kremlin chief of staff.


By Salon Staff

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