In late January, Russian President Vladimir Putin reshuffled the country’s government. While Cabinet changes in autocracies are usually unimportant, one appointment is set to influence Russia’s policy on Ukraine.

On Jan. 24, Dmitry Kozak, a veteran official, was appointed third deputy head of Putin’s administration – a post created specifically for him. It’s his second time in the administration. During his first stint in the early 2000s, Kozak’s portfolio included trying to force Moldova into a federal union with Transnistria, the country’s Russian-backed breakaway territory. The agreement failed at the last moment due to strong pushback in Moldova.