Mr Ivanov noted that Mr Melikov served in the region’s interior troops for nearly 30 years and is familiar with the operating environment, and that his knowledge of the North Caucasus will allow him to work effectively in the region.
Sergei Ivanov also noted that the division of functions between the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy and the supervising Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the creation of the Ministry for North Caucasus Affairs will allow for more efficient work to stabilise the economy and fight extremism.