Russian finance chief promoted in new government

MOSCOW - Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has been promoted to the rank of deputy prime minister in the new Russian government while liberal economy minister German Gref has been replaced by Elvira Nabiullina, news agencies reported Monday.
Sergei Ivanov and Dmitry Medvedev, both first deputy prime ministers viewed as frontrunners to succeed President Vladimir Putin in elections next March, have both retained their posts in the new government of Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, the reports said.

09/24/2007 17:13 GMT