Alexander Khinshtein, former Duma member and adviser to pro-Kremlin political party United Russia, has become the new “ideology” adviser in Russia’s National Guard, the Rosgvardiya.
His official position will be that of adviser to Rosgvardiya head Viktor Zolotov. The former deputy will focus on regulatory, ideological, propaganda, and information work.
Khinshtein confirmed accepting the new job, but declined to offer further comment.
Journalist Alexander Khinshtein worked for the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets, before becoming a member of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament and serving from 2003 to 2016. In the the sixth convocation of the Duma, he served as deputy chairman of the security and anti-corruption committee.
In May 2016, Khinshtein refused to participate in the primaries. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that he was appointed adviser to United Russia’s General Council Secretary Sergei Neverov.
Rosgvardiya was established by the decree of Vladimir Putin in April 2016 to fight terrorism and organized crime. The agency is composed of Interior Ministry troops, riot police, SWAT teams, and personal security personnel. Putin appointed the former head of the Russian President’s personal security service Viktor Zolotov to lead the National Guard. Previously, Zolotov was in charge of Russia’s Interior Military Forces. The National Guard will number some 350,000 to 400,000 troops, reported news agency Interfax in April 2016.
In mid-September 2016, it was reported that 163,000 police officers who were rendered redundant when Russian President Putin signed a degree reducing the maximum number of law enforcement officials to 904,881 individuals would be transferred to the country’s National Guard.