Putin Appoints Former Deputy Defense Minister As Russian Ambassador To US

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St.Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 2, 2017. Putin says chemical attack in Syria was provocation to frame A... Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St.Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 2, 2017. Putin says chemical attack in Syria was provocation to frame Assad. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) MORE LESS

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has appointed a former deputy defense minister as Russia’s new ambassador to the United States.

The Kremlin said on Monday Putin has replaced Sergei Kislyak, whose tenure ended in July, with Anatoly Antonov, a deputy foreign minister and former deputy defense minister seen as a hardliner regarding the U.S.

The outgoing ambassador played a prominent role the controversy over Russia’s possible involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned after lying about contacts with Kislyak. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election after reports that he hadn’t disclosed meetings with Kislyak.

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  1. Oy. Nothing tRump likes more than another strongman to share all of America’s national secrets to…Not only does tRump say he loves our military, but I’d worry, since he seems particularly fond of Russia’s military almost as much.

    Putin plays the long game. tRump will be lucky if he lasts until Thanksgiving. I know I’m not the only one that thinks this doesn’t sound like much of a diplomatic move on Putin’s part.

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