Putin changes chief of his security service

Dmitry Kochnev has been appointed chief of the Security Service of the President of the Russian Federation to replace Oleg Klimentyev, who has held this post since 2013, according to Russian newspaper Izvestia.

The information was confirmed by Putin's administration and the Federal Security Service.

A source in the Russian presidential administration said that Oleg Klimentyev had become First Deputy Head of the Federal Security Service.

"The appointment has been made. But so far it has not officially been published," he said.

The Federal Security Service confirmed that Dmitry Kochnev had replaced Oleg Klimentyev as the head of the presidential security service. It was also reported that the presidential security service's chief shall be appointed by a presidential decree, but the decree has not yet been published.