Dmitry Chernyshenko
Dmitry Nikolaevich Chernyshenko (born 20 September 1968) is a Russian government official and former business executive serving as Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation since January 2020.[1] In this role, he coordinates federal policies on tourism, hospitality, sports, youth affairs, and aspects of digital transformation and communications.[1][2] Before joining the government under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chernyshenko built a career in sports management and media, most notably as President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee for the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games from 2007 to 2014, where he oversaw the delivery of the event that earned praise for its organization and infrastructure development.[3][4] Following the Games, he became President of the Kontinental Hockey League and CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding in 2015, expanding his influence in sports and state-aligned media enterprises.[5][6] As Deputy Prime Minister, Chernyshenko has prioritized initiatives to enhance domestic tourism infrastructure, including national tourist routes spanning 50 regions and substantial funding for hospitality projects, alongside efforts to broaden access to sports and youth programs.[7][8][9] His public service has been recognized with awards such as the Order for Services to the Fatherland (2nd Class) and the Order of Friendship.[1] However, following Russia's 2022 military intervention in Ukraine, Chernyshenko faced international sanctions from Western governments and the revocation of his Olympic Order by the IOC, which he attributed to undue U.S. political influence on the organization.[10][11]