MOSCOW, June 2 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree appointing the new head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Alexander Kurenkov the rank of lieutenant general, the corresponding decree was published on the official Internet portal of legal information. «Assign the military rank of lieutenant general Alexander Vyacheslavovich Kurenkov,» the document says. Kurenkov previously served as deputy director of the Russian Guard. On May 25, the Federation Council voted to approve Kurenkov as head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Putin signed a decree on his appointment. The previous head of the department, Yevgeny Zinichev, died on September 8, 2021 during an exercise in Norilsk, trying to save film director Alexander Melnik. Zinichev was 55 years old, he took over as head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in 2018. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
