Igor Levitin

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Igor Levitin (February 21, 1952-) is the current Russian Transport Minister. He was appointed to the position on March 9, 2004.

Between 1973 and 1980 Levitin served in the Soviet armed forces in Odessa and then with the Armies Southern Division. From 1983-1985, he was Military Commandant of the Urgal station and Baikal and from 1985-1994, Military Commandant and Deputy Head of Moscow Military Railway Communications Service. ^[1]

From 1994-1996, he was a member of the Railways Reform commission which created the Russian Railways Company as part of its reform program.

Between 1996 and 2004 he had worked for Severstaltrans, and was appointed deputy director in 1998 before eventually becoming Russian Transport Minister in 2004.

[edit] Developments under Levitin

Levitin met with Serik Akhmetov , on 25 October 2006. Akhmetov proposed building a transport corridor using preexisting roads from southern Kazakhstan through Kazan and Orenburg to St. Petersburg. Levitin said the Russian Government would consider the proposal, but that it wanted the corridor to go through Chelyabinsk. They also discussed the "transit of planes from Asia to Europe" and transportation through the Caspian Sea. Levitin made a trip to Aqtau to further discuss sea transportation.^[2] On 9 November Akhmetov and Levitin met in Aqtau and signed an agreement that created a train and ferry link between Aqtau and Makhachkala ports. The first ferry carried 52 freight cars of grain and oil products on 10 November.^[3]