Vedomosti reports Belgorod governor set to resign and join Russia’s Economic Development Ministry

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, whose impending resignation has been reported by Vedomosti and other outlets, may be appointed deputy minister at the Economic Development Ministry under Maxim Reshetnikov, the Russian business daily Vedomosti said, citing two sources close to Russia’s Presidential Administration.

Vedomosti noted that a move to the federal government has in recent years amounted to a promotion for governors. Reshetnikov himself came to the ministerial post from a regional governorship, having led the Perm Region until 2022.

The leading candidate to replace Gladkov is Irkutsk Region Deputy Governor, Major General Alexander Shuvaev, Vedomosti sources said. Sources at the Russian business news outlet RBC confirmed the same, adding that the decision to remove Gladkov had been “all but made.”

Gladkov, 57, has served as governor of the Belgorod Region since 2021. Vedomosti reported on April 6 that he could step down before the regional elections scheduled for September 2026. One of the paper’s sources said his possible departure was linked in part to his health. Another said that public support for the authorities in the Belgorod Region was “not the best” due to a deteriorating quality of life, making a leadership change “the logical move.” A source close to Russia’s Presidential Administration said Gladkov’s ratings in the region remain “still high, though they’ve slipped.”

Shuvaev is a native of the Belgorod Region. Since January 2026, he has served as deputy governor of the Irkutsk Region. Before that, he served in the war in Ukraine and was awarded the title Hero of Russia, as well as the Order for Services to the Fatherland, Fourth Class; the Order of Alexander Nevsky; three Orders of Courage; and the Suvorov Medal. In 2025, Shuvaev was among the participants in the presidential program “Time of Heroes.”