Russia's defense and foreign ministers won’t go to Duma

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have refused to take up their parliamentary mandates, a draft resolution of the Russian Central Electoral Commission reads, Report informs, citing RIA Novosti.

At the congress of the ruling United Russia party, President Vladimir Putin made public names of the first five seats on the list: Defense Minister and one of the party founders Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chief Physician of Kommunarka Hospital Denis Prosenko, Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights Anna Kuznetsova and Yelena Shmeleva, co-chair of the All-Russian Popular Front.

Along with Sergei Shoigu and Sergei Lavrov, Yelena Shmeleva and Denis Prosenko also did not take up their Duma member mandates.