Mikhail Mishustin
Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin entered the world on the 3rd of March 1966 in Lobnya, a town situated very close to Moscow. His parents were Vladimir Moiseyevich and Luiza Mikhailovna Mishustin. His mother was born in Kotlas within the Arkhangelsk region while his father hailed from Polotsk and carried Jewish heritage. Vladimir Moiseyevich Mishustin served as a member of the Central Committee of the Komsomol during the Soviet era. This family background provided the foundation for a life that would eventually bridge engineering precision with high-level economic policy.
His academic journey began at STANKIN where he graduated in 1989 with a major in system engineering. He returned to complete postgraduate studies at the same institute by 1992. Later in 2003, he earned a PhD in Economics from Plekhanov University. By 2010, he had secured a DSc in Economics from the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. These credentials established him as a technocrat capable of managing complex systems before he ever touched politics.
After finishing graduate school, Mishustin started working as a director of a test laboratory facility. In 1992, he joined the International Computer Club (ICC) to facilitate the integration of Russian and Western information technologies. He ultimately headed the board of this organization. Between 2008 and 2010, he left state service to work in the private sector as president of UFG Asset Management. He resigned from that role to become head of the Federal Tax Service.
In 1998, he entered state service as an assistant for information systems for accounting and control over tax payments. That same year he became deputy head of the Service. After the transformation into a Ministry, he served as Deputy Minister of Taxes and Duties until 2004. He then led the Federal Agency for Real Estate Cadastre from 2004 to 2006 under Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. During those two years, Rosnedvizhimost completed a massive cadastral assessment of land which allowed for a new land tax based on cadastral value. In December 2006, he took charge of the Federal Agency for the Management of Special Economic Zones.
As head of the Federal Tax Service starting in 2010, Mishustin declared war on dirty data. He targeted problems with unjustified value-added tax refunds through digitization and big data. New legislation required all business-to-business invoices to be submitted directly to the government. Retailers had to automatically transmit real-time transaction data to tax authorities via online cash registers. The government used artificial intelligence to identify persons suspected of tax evasion.
This system of techno-authoritarian surveillance resulted in a dramatic shift in revenue collection. The VAT gap reportedly declined from 20% to less than 1% during his tenure. Mishustin emphasized that this approach minimized fraud while critics argued it created an overly strict environment for business. He rejected claims of harshness by pointing to a decrease in the number of on-site tax audits and inspections of large businesses. The data collection covered almost every transaction in Russia creating a comprehensive economic map.
On the 27th of January 2020, Mishustin instructed the formation of an operational headquarters for the prevention of COVID-19. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova was appointed its chief. On the 30th of January he signed an order to close borders with China in the Russian Far East. By the 18th of February, he banned Chinese citizens from entering Russia effective from the 20th of February. On the 14th of March, he created a Coordinating Council for the fight against coronavirus which he personally headed.
Since the 16th of March 2020, flights to and from the European Union were limited to regular flights between capital cities and Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. Mishustin announced the closure of the border with Belarus for movement of people despite criticism from Alexander Lukashenko. An entry ban for foreigners ran from the 18th of March to the 1st of May. On the 30th of April 2020, Mishustin tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. He informed President Vladimir Putin via video-call before going into self-quarantine. He resumed duties on the 19th of May after recovery.
On the 1st of June 2020, Mishustin announced that a national plan to restore the economy was ready. He presented it to President Putin two days later. The plan included three stages, nine sections, thirty priority areas, and about five hundred events. Recovery was scheduled for one and a half years ending by December 2021. Goals included sustainable growth in real incomes and unemployment rates below 5%. GDP growth targets were set at least 2.5% per year.
In June 2020, he proposed a tax maneuver for IT companies reducing income tax from 20% to 3%. Insurance premiums dropped from 14% to 7.6% under this new regime. On the 10th of July 2020, he launched construction of the Moscow-Kazan highway during a trip to Tatarstan. This project became part of the Europe-Western China route. Mishustin instructed to launch the highway in 2024, three years earlier than originally planned. He promised additional funds to ensure its completion.
Mishustin faces personal sanctions in the United States, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and New Zealand due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to sources close to the Kremlin, he was unaware of Vladimir Putin's plans to launch a full-scale invasion before it began. In May 2023, he visited Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Mishustin stated that relations between Russia and China are at an unprecedented high level.
In April 2024, he emphasized preserving Russia's presence in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. He spoke about deepening dialogue with other international organizations constructive to Russia. Russia works hard to develop cooperation with strategic partners against the background of unprecedented Western sanctions. Despite these challenges, his administration continues to manage diplomatic relations while navigating economic isolation from major global powers.
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Common questions
When and where was Mikhail Mishustin born?
Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin entered the world on the 3rd of March 1966 in Lobnya, a town situated very close to Moscow. His parents were Vladimir Moiseyevich and Luiza Mikhailovna Mishustin.
What academic degrees did Mikhail Mishustin earn before entering politics?
He graduated from STANKIN with a major in system engineering in 1989 and completed postgraduate studies there by 1992. He earned a PhD in Economics from Plekhanov University in 2003 and secured a DSc in Economics from the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration by 2010.
How did Mikhail Mishustin change tax collection during his tenure as head of the Federal Tax Service?
The VAT gap reportedly declined from 20% to less than 1% during his tenure through digitization and big data initiatives. New legislation required all business-to-business invoices to be submitted directly to the government while retailers had to automatically transmit real-time transaction data via online cash registers.
What specific actions did Mikhail Mishustin take regarding COVID-19 in early 2020?
On the 27th of January 2020, Mishustin instructed the formation of an operational headquarters for the prevention of COVID-19. On the 30th of April 2020, he tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and resumed duties on the 19th of May after recovery.
When was Mikhail Mishustin appointed Prime Minister of Russia and what economic plan did he announce?
Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin entered the world on the 3rd of March 1966 in Lobnya, a town situated very close to Moscow. He became Prime Minister of Russia since 2020 and announced a national plan to restore the economy on the 1st of June 2020.