Mikhail Mishustin facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Mikhail Mishustin
Михаил Мишустин
Mishustin in 2024

Prime Minister of Russia
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 January 2020
President	Vladimir Putin
First Deputy	Andrey Belousov Denis Manturov
Preceded by	Dmitry Medvedev
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union State
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 January 2020
Secretary General	Grigory Rapota Dmitry Mezentsev
Preceded by	Dmitry Medvedev
Head of the Special Coordinating Council for Security Enhancement
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 October 2022
President	Vladimir Putin
Preceded by	Office established
Director of the Federal Taxation Service
In office 6 April 2010 – 16 January 2020
Prime Minister	Vladimir Putin Dmitry Medvedev
Preceded by	Mikhail Mokretsov
Succeeded by	Daniil Yegorov

Personal details
Born	(1966-03-03) 3 March 1966 (age 59) Lobnya, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Vladlena Mishustina
Children	3
Alma mater	STANKIN
Occupation	Politician businessman economist
Profession	Engineer
Website	premier.gov.ru
Military service
Allegiance	Russia
Branch/service	Tax police
Years of service	1998–2008 2010–2020
Rank	Acting State Councillor of the Russian Federation, 1st class

Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin (born March 3, 1966) is a Russian politician and economist. He has been the Prime Minister of Russia since January 16, 2020. Before this, he was the director of the Federal Taxation Service from 2010 to 2020.

President Vladimir Putin chose Mishustin to be Prime Minister on January 15, 2020. This happened after Dmitry Medvedev and his government resigned. Mishustin was confirmed by the State Duma (the Russian parliament) on January 16, 2020.

Mishustin holds a high government rank called 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation.

Early Life and Education

Mikhail Mishustin was born on March 3, 1966. He was born in Lobnya, a town near Moscow, or in Moscow itself. His parents were Vladimir Moiseyevich and Luiza Mikhailovna Mishustin.

In 1989, he finished his studies at STANKIN (a university) with a degree in system engineering. He then completed his postgraduate studies at the same institute in 1992.

Career Before Prime Minister

Early Work in Technology (Before 1998)

After his studies, Mishustin worked as a director in a test laboratory. In 1992, he joined the International Computer Club (ICC). Here, he helped connect Russian and Western computer technologies. He eventually became the head of the ICC board.

Working for the Government (1998–2008)

In 1998, Mikhail Mishustin started working for the government. He became an assistant for information systems at the Federal Taxation Service. Later that year, he became the deputy head of the Service. He worked as Deputy Minister of Taxes and Duties until 2004.

From 2004 to 2006, he led the Federal Agency for Real Estate Cadastre (Rosnedvizhimost). His job was to create a system for valuing land. This helped introduce a new land tax.

From 2006 to 2008, Mishustin led the Federal Agency for the Management of Special Economic Zones (RosOEZ). These zones are special areas that help businesses grow. During his time, the first industrial and technical special economic zones were opened in Russia.

Return to Private Sector (2008–2010)

In 2008, Mishustin left government service. He became the president of UFG Asset Management, an investment fund. He worked there for two years.

In February 2009, he was added to the President of Russia's special list of talented people who could hold important jobs.

Leading the Federal Taxation Service (2010–2020)

Mishustin with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in the FTS office on February 13, 2019

In 2010, Mishustin returned to government work. He was appointed head of the Federal Tax Service (FTS) by then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

As head of the FTS, Mishustin became known as a skilled manager. He focused on making taxes simpler and using electronic services. He also worked to stop unfair value-added tax (VAT) refunds.

Mishustin greatly increased the use of technology and "big data" to track economic activity. New laws required businesses to send all invoices to the government. Retailers also had to send real-time sales data to tax authorities. This system helped the government use artificial intelligence to find people who might be avoiding taxes. Because of these changes, the amount of VAT that was not collected by the government dropped significantly.

Prime Minister of Russia (2020–Present)

Becoming Prime Minister

Mishustin at his confirmation hearing at the State Duma on January 16, 2020

On January 15, 2020, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his government resigned. This happened after President Vladimir Putin suggested big changes to the constitution. Putin then nominated Mikhail Mishustin for the Prime Minister position.

The next day, the State Duma approved Mishustin. He was then officially appointed Prime Minister by Putin. This was the first time a Prime Minister was confirmed without any votes against them.

On May 7, 2024, Mishustin and his government resigned after Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a new term. However, Putin nominated Mishustin again on May 9, 2024. The State Duma approved him for a second term on May 10.

Mishustin's Cabinets

Meeting of Mishustin's First Cabinet on January 21, 2020

On January 21, 2020, Mishustin presented his proposed government structure to President Putin. Putin approved it and appointed the new ministers.

Many experts believe Mishustin was able to choose his "own" team for the government. Some of his Deputy Prime Ministers had worked with him before at the Federal Tax Service. This showed that Mishustin had a lot of freedom to make changes.

His first cabinet resigned on May 7, 2024. However, they continued to work until a new government was formed. On May 11, 2024, Putin approved the new government structure. Mishustin then nominated candidates for Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers. These candidates were approved by the State Duma and appointed by Putin.

Key Actions as Prime Minister

Mishustin has focused on several important areas during his time as Prime Minister.

Digital Economy and Technology

Mishustin has worked to support Russia's digital economy. He suggested lowering taxes for IT companies to help them grow. President Putin supported this idea. The plan was to reduce income tax for IT companies from 20% to 3%.

In July 2020, Mishustin met with leaders of major IT companies. He spoke about the government's plan to develop the IT industry. He said that Russia should become a very attractive place for IT companies.

Transport and Infrastructure

Mishustin and Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin inspecting the construction of the Moscow–Kazan highway on July 10, 2020.

In July 2020, Mishustin started the construction of the Moscow – Kazan highway. This is a very large road project in Russia. He pushed for the highway to be finished by 2024, much earlier than planned.

In July 2024, Mishustin announced plans to build the Moscow–Saint Petersburg high-speed railway. In November 2024, he spoke about plans to increase flights in Russia and modernize airports.

Government Reforms

In November 2020, Mishustin announced a plan to make the government more efficient. This included reducing the number of government workers and changing how some state-owned companies operate.

Migration Policy

In October 2023, Mishustin discussed the need to control migration into Russia for security reasons. He called for better tracking of migrant workers and identifying illegal migrants. He also announced plans for an electronic register of migrant workers.

Climate and Environment

In 2021, Mishustin stated that protecting nature is a top government goal. He mentioned efforts to reduce pollution, clean up landfills, and use cleaner energy.

In February 2022, Mishustin approved an environmental plan until 2030. This plan focuses on studying climate change, adapting to its effects, and reducing harmful gases.

In November 2024, Mishustin attended a climate change conference. He said that Russia has greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions since 1990. He also stated that Russia plans to become carbon neutral by 2060.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Meeting of the Government Coordination Council to control the incidence of coronavirus on March 16, 2020

In January 2020, Mishustin set up a special group to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He also ordered the closure of borders with China in the Russian Far East. In February, he banned Chinese citizens from entering Russia.

In March 2020, Mishustin created a Coordinating Council to fight the coronavirus, which he led. He also announced measures to support businesses, like delaying tax payments for travel agencies. The government also started controlling food and drug prices.

Mishustin, President Putin, and Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin at the Coronavirus Monitoring Center on March 17, 2020

He ordered restrictions on flights to many countries and closed borders with neighboring countries. Mishustin urged regions to declare lockdowns and announced a bill to increase fines for breaking quarantine rules.

On April 30, 2020, Mishustin tested positive for COVID-19. He suggested that his deputy, Andrey Belousov, take over as acting Prime Minister. After recovering, Mishustin returned to his duties on May 19. He was the highest-ranking Russian official to publicly announce his infection.

Economic Recovery Plan

In June 2020, Mishustin announced a national plan to help the economy, jobs, and people's incomes recover after the pandemic. The plan aimed to bring back steady income growth, lower unemployment, and ensure economic growth by the end of 2021.

Foreign Policy

Mishustin with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Asqar Mamin, on January 31, 2020

Mishustin with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, on July 17, 2020

Mishustin with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow, on March 21, 2023

Mishustin has worked to strengthen Russia's relationships with other countries. In May 2023, he visited Beijing and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He stated that relations between Russia and China are at a very high level.

In April 2024, Mishustin emphasized Russia's involvement in international groups like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. He also spoke about working with other international organizations that are helpful to Russia.

Personal Life

Mikhail Mishustin is married and has three sons. He enjoys playing ice hockey and is a fan of the sport. He is also a member of the supervisory board for the HC CSKA Moscow hockey team. It is said that he and President Putin connected over their shared love for hockey.

Mishustin is also an amateur musician and plays the piano. As a hobby, he has written pop music for singers.

On April 30, 2020, Mishustin tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia. He told President Vladimir Putin about his infection and went into self-quarantine.

Awards

Mikhail Mishustin has received several awards for his service:

Order of Honour (2012)
Russian Federation Presidential Certificate of Honour (2013)
Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (2015)

He also received the Gold Medal of Honour of the City of Athens from Greece in 2021.

In addition, he has received church awards, such as the Patriarchal Badge of the Temple Builder (2017) and the Order of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov III degree (2019).