Belgorod Region Governor Evgeny Savchenko steps down after 27 years in office

The Belgorod Region’s long-time governor, Evgeny Savchenko, has resigned ahead of schedule, reports Interfax, citing a press release from the region’s administration.

As the press release underscores, Savchenko is leaving the post of governor “in connection with his election as a deputy of the Belgorod Regional Duma.”

The regional council is expected to approve Savchenko’s appointment as the region’s representative to the Federation Council (Russia’s senate) during its upcoming meeting, scheduled for September 22.

Savchenko was appointed governor of the Belgorod Region in 1993. Since then, he has been elected as head of the region five times and had his appointment approved by the regional council once. He was most recently re-elected in 2017. 

Savchenko was the last remaining governor in Russia to lead a region since the 1990s.