Russia: Alexei Ulyukaev, formerly the first deputy governor of the Bank of Russia, has been appointed by Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, to the post of economic development minister.

In a meeting held with Putin to discuss the challenges of the role, Ulyukaev said slowing growth was a major issue. The short-run task was to keep the economy out of recession, he said, according to a statement released by the Kremlin, while a longer-term goal was to lay diverse foundations for growth. "It is