Tver lawmakers on Thursday confirmed a new governor to replace the unpopular Dmitry Zelenin, who last fall complained about finding a worm in his salad during a Kremlin meal.
In Sakhalin, lawmakers reconfirmed their governor to a second term, Interfax reported.
Both candidates, Andrei Shevelyov in Tver and Alexander Khoroshavin in Sakhalin, were appointed by President Dmitry Medvedev late last month.
Zelenin, 48, a former CEO and a member of United Russia, had governed his native Tver region since 2003. But public discontent grew with his policies, allowing the Communists to gain a majority in the Tver city legislature in 2009. He irked the Kremlin when he posted a photo of the worm on his Twitter feed in November.
Shevelyov, 41, a former paratrooper who fought in Chechnya, served as Zelenin’s deputy before his promotion, Interfax said.
He also previously served as a deputy Ryazan governor and a State Duma deputy with United Russia.
Khoroshavin, 51, who holds a degree in economics and is a senior United Russia member, has served as governor since 2007, RIA-Novosti said.