Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's spokesperson is stepping down, after 10 years on the job

Natalia Timakova, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s longtime press secretary, confirmed on September 6 that she is stepping down and taking job with Vnesheconombank. Oleg Osipov, the deputy chief editor of the Rossiya Segodnya state news agency, will replace her on Medvedev's team.

Timakova says she decided six months ago to leave the government, thanking the prime minister for the opportunity to serve in his cabinet. She’ll spend the next week showing Osipov the ropes of being Medvedev’s spokesperson — a job she’s held for the past 10 years, including during his 2008-2012 presidency. Before joining the government, Timakova worked as a correspondent for the newspaper Kommersant and as a columnist for the news agency Interfax.

In early July, two sources told the magazine RBC that Timakova was in talks with Vnesheconombank about joining as an executive board member. At VTB, Timakova's duties will reportedly involve the bank's cultural and urban development projects.

• According to a study conducted by the independent Levada Center in late August, Dmitry Medvedev’s popularity continues to decline. In August 2018, his approval rating slipped to 28 percent — down 20 points, compared to a year ago. Medvedev’s “anti-rating” is now at an all-time high of 71 percent.