Experts of Petersburg Politics Foundation made the list of those who may take Putin's place after his resignation. The list includes 19 names. The candidates were assessed from the point of view of their public activity and expectations of their work
Valentina Matviyenko, a senator, former governor of St. Petersburg. She has served as Chairwoman of the Federation Council since 2011. Matviyenko was considered, until recent years, to be the highest-ranking female politician in Russia. Matviyenko became the first female leader of Saint Petersburg. Since the start of Matviyenko's service as governor, a significant share of taxation money was transferred from the federal budget to the local budget, and along with the booming economy and improving investment climate the standard of living significantly increased in the City, making income levels much closer to Moscow, and far above most other Russian federal subjects. The profile of Saint Petersburg in Russian politics has risen, marked by the transfer of the Constitutional Court of Russia from Moscow in 2008
Defense Minister sergei Shoigu. On 30 September 2015, Russia conducted a military operation in Syria. The operation was carried out by forces created by 1 August 2015 the Space Forces, with the support of the Russian Navy. 7 October 2015 President Vladimir Putin, during which took place in Sochi working meeting with Shoygu, summing up the first week of operation, once again gave a high appreciation of the work of the Ministry of Defense: as the Ministry of actions in general, and combat operations conducted by the Russian pilots of ballpen in Syria Air Group, which applied with air strikes against predetermined objectives, and seamen of the Caspian Flotilla, which carried out the firing cruise missiles 3M-54 Klub of the Caspian Sea and successfully struck all the targets set
Alexey Dyumin, born 28 August 1972, is a Russian statesman and career officer. He holds the rank of lieutenant general and is a Hero of the Russian Federation. In 2016, Dyumin became an acting Governor of Tula Region: he held this office until the gubernatorial elections in September 2016, which he won with 84.17% of votes cast. Dyumin developed and performed the emergency evacuation of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to Russia, on the night of February 23, 2014. However, Alexey Dyumin himself, called it a myth and declined to comment
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. He has served as Mayor of Moscow from October 2010 to 5 July 2013, and was re-elected Mayor in the September 2013 city election. As the Mayor of Moscow, Sobyanin has gradually relaxed the massive construction projects of his predecessor, for which he has won acclaim for the "most sane piece of city planning in years."As Mayor, Sobyanin created large mass media holding group of numbers TV and radio channels and newspapers, owned and controlled by Moscow Government.And he has also won praise for his efforts in combatting corruption
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Leningrad State University Law Department in 1987. Medvedev defended his dissertation in 1990, and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed the Saint Petersburg State University, where he taught Civil and Roman Law until 1999. Medvedev's political career began as the Election Campaign Manager, and later as an adviser of the St. Petersburg Mayor, Anatoly Sobchak. During this time, Medvedev befriended Vladimir Putin. In foreign policy, Medvedev's primary achievements include the signing of the New START treaty, a "reset" of Russia-United States relations, that were severely strained following the Russian invasion of Georgia, as well as increasing Russia's cooperation with the BRICS-countries, and gaining Russia's admission into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2011.