Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin elevated his former personal bodyguard to a top state post allowing his continual rise on the official ladder, Bloomberg reported.
Putin reportedly named Alexey Dyumin as secretary of the State Council, which is responsible for developing "strategic goals and tasks of domestic and foreign policy".
The body brings together Kremlin and government officials with lawmakers and regional leaders.
A recent shuffle saw Putin moving Dyumin to the Kremlin as a presidential aide from his post as governor of Russia's Tula region.
Dyumin rose to become one Putin’s closest bodyguards as he served in his personal security detail from 1999.
He is known to have saved Putin from a bear and is among inner circle of officials with whom Putin plays ice hockey.
Dyumin served as deputy head of the special operations division of Russia's GRU military intelligence, Bloomberg reported.
Dyumin, who was the former deputy defense minister, faces international sanctions over his role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Following Dyumin's promotion, Putin decided to ‘oust longtime ally Sergei Shoigu as defense minister.’