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Son of Kremlin’s domestic policy czar rumored to be taking over Russia’s biggest social network

Source: The Bell

Leadership of Vkontakte, Russia’s most popular social network, will likely fall to the son of the Kremlin’s domestic policy czar, two sources told The Bell on Friday, claiming “95-percent certainty” that Vladimir Kiriyenko will take over as CEO. A day earlier, another source claimed that Kiriyenko Jr. might find work in the insurance behemoth Sogaz, which acquired control over VK on Thursday in a monster deal with Alisher Usmanov’s USM holding company. Another two sources confirmed to the news website RBC that Vladimir Kiriyenko will be VK’s next head.

Hours before reports about Kiriyenko’s likely appointment, Boris Dobrodeev, who’s managed VK since 2016, announced that he is stepping down as CEO.

Since 2017, Vladimir Kiriyenko has worked as the senior vice president of Rostelecom. In November, the website CNews reported rumors that he might be leaving the company soon.

On December 2, Alisher Usmanov sold his stake in VK’s parent company, granting 57.3 percent of VK to MF Technologies, 80 percent of which is controlled by Sogaz and Gazprombank.

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