Putin appoints Chupriyan acting emergency situations minister - order

MOSCOW. Sept 10 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Alexander Chupriyan the acting emergency situations minister. The relevant order has been published on the Russian legal database website.

"To empower the first deputy minister of the Russian Federation on civil defense, emergency situations and disaster control, Col. Gen. of Internal Service Alexander Chupriyan, to temporarily perform the duties of the Russian Federation minister on civil defense, emergency situations and disaster control," the order says.

The order comes into effect on the day it is signed.

Alexander Chupriyan was born in Ukhta, the Komi Republic. He graduated from the Higher Engineer Firefighting Technical School of the Interior Ministry of the USSR and got an engineer degree in firefighting equipment and safety. He served in the Soviet Army in 1976 -1978 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. From 1979 - 1993, Chupriyan held various positions ranging from a firefighter to the head of a paramilitary fire squad at the Leningrad regional fire department.

From 1997 - 2002, Chupriyan led the department of state fire service at the Main Directorate of the Interior for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region before taking the office of the head of the Main Directorate of State Fire Service at the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in 2003. In 2006-2018, Chupriyan was deputy Russian emergency situations minister. On June 4, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed him the first minister of civil defense, emergency situations and disaster control of the Russian Federation.

Chupriyan is a Candidate of Technical Sciences and has the rank of General Colonel of the Internal Service. He has been awarded the title of Honored Fire Department Employee and Honored Rescuer of the Russian Federation, the Order for Merit to the Fatherland IV Class, the Order of Honor, the Order of Friendship, the Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland I Class and II Class, and For Bravery in a Fire medals.