Russian government resigns

The Russian government has resigned, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced.

President Vladimir Putin thanked Dmitry Medvedev’s government for its work. "For my part, I also want to thank you for everything that was done at this stage of our joint work, I want to express satisfaction with the results that have been achieved," the president told a meeting with the cabinet of ministers.

"Not everything was done, but everything never works out in full," Putin said.

The Russian leader noted that soon he planned to meet with all ministers of Medvedev’s government. "I will meet with each of you," Putin assured.

The prime minister thinks it right that the current government should step down in the wake of the presidential proposals to amend the constitution, Medvedev told President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with the cabinet.

"After those amendments are adopted — and it was said that this is likely to be done following discussion — there will be significant changes not only to a variety of constitution articles, but to the balance of power, namely to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of power," the prime minister said.

"In this context, it is evident that we, as the government of the Russian Federation, should provide our country’s president with an opportunity to take all the necessary decisions in these conditions. I believe it right for the government of the Russian Federation to step down in conformity with Article 117 of Russia’s Constitution," Medvedev added.