Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced his and his cabinet’s resignation on Wednesday just hours after President Vladimir Putin delivered his state of the nation speech.
The resignation of longtime Putin ally Medvedev, 54, came as an unexpected move to many. It is widely seen as a move that will give Putin room to reshape Russia’s political structure before he is required to leave the presidency in 2024.
During his time as both prime minister and president of Russia, Medvedev’s reputation stemmed not just from his work as a government official. Medvedev has been the subject of his fair share of memes — as well as the subject of a high-profile corruption investigation that rocked the country.
As Medvedev resigned, Putin thanked him for what he had achieved, adding: “Not everything worked out of course — but then, nothing ever works out totally.” The newly resigned prime minister will now serve as deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, which Putin chairs.
Here’s a look back at the most memorable moments of Medvedev’s presidency and premiership:
