Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chairs a government meeting in Moscow, Sept 27, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

MOSCOW - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday appointed finance ministry official Anton Siluanov as acting finance minister after the resignation of Financial Minister Alexei Kudrin.

Putin also asked First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, a well-known political figure, to take over Kudrin's duties as deputy prime minister to oversee financial issues in the government.

Putin told a governmental meeting that both decisions had been agreed by President Dmitry Medvedev, adding "this is our joint decision."

"I'm asking all of you to worthily fulfill your duties until the moment when a new government is formed and to increase discipline and responsibility," Putin told officials in the meeting.

Siluanov, 48, who was seen by Putin as a "good specialist," has been working at the Financial Ministry for 26 years. Currently, he is in charge of overseeing budgets belonging to Russian regions and managing federal budget subsidies for the regions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Financial Minister Kudrin resigned Monday after a brief but defiant confrontation with President Medvedev over "principal disagreement."