Putin approves Russian government reshuffle

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed decrees appointing members of the country's newly-formed government.

The previous government resigned after Putin was sworn in to start his fourth term as president on May 7 and he kept Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister following parliamentary approval.

Medvedev proposed candidates for government posts earlier in the day and Putin agreed to the plan.

The Russian prime minister will now have 10 deputies instead of the previous nine.

Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was promoted to the first deputy prime minister and he retains his post of finance minister.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will keep their posts.