According to him, illegal logging has decreased by 50%, and taxes from forestry and other large businesses have tripled.

In the region, he indicated, they began to build more schools, hospitals and other social facilities, and in Irkutsk, "they began to carry out complex liver transplant operations."

“The Irkutsk region entered the top 10 regions - the country's leaders in terms of the pace of cultural development. We were the first in the country to begin mass development of virgin lands, ”Levchenko wrote on Instagram.

He noted that there were mistakes, while expressing gratitude to those who worked with him all these years.

“I made the decision to resign of my own free will, because in this situation it will be better for residents of my native Irkutsk region,” Levchenko explained.

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Dear fellow countrymen, I want to address you today with important words. In 2015, you entrusted me with your votes, and this was the main incentive for me to work. We have done a lot over the years: doubled the budget and reduced public debt. Illegal logging fell by 50 percent, while taxes from forestry and other large businesses tripled. We began to build more schools, hospitals and other social facilities. In Irkutsk, complex liver transplant operations began, and in 2020 the first heart transplant operation will take place. The Irkutsk region was included in the TOP 10 of the leading regions of the country in terms of the rate of development of culture. We were the first in the country to massively develop virgin lands. We did a lot of things for the first time. Of course, there were mistakes. But still, I want to thank those people who have worked with me all these years. I decided to resign at my own request, because in this situation it would be better for the residents of my native Irkutsk region. You have probably noticed that lately the media has poured too much dirt towards me and the people who work with me. I’m already used to criticism, but I can’t allow people who have done and are doing a lot for the region to be poured mud. These are the heads of municipalities, and ordinary civil servants who worked seven days a week in a zone of floods unprecedented for our region. Special thanks to the mayors who were elected by the people, but for some reason some journalists began to call them local princes. God sees that we worked together and did not pay attention to party affiliation. Unfortunately, our lives are so arranged that many of these people began to suffer only because they publicly supported me. Dear fellow countrymen, in 2015, the Irkutsk region was called the freest region in the country. We had a discussion in parliament, and the media began to talk about those issues that were previously accepted to be silent. What we managed to do is not my merit, but the merit of the free spirit of the inhabitants of the region and political competition. I really want this to continue. And I'm sure that will be so. Thank you all! # sergelevchenko

Publication by Sergey Levchenko (@ tovarish.levchenko) Dec 13, 2019 at 2:00 PST

On December 12, Russian leader Vladimir Putin accepted the resignation of Sergei Levchenko of his own free will. The acting head of the Irkutsk region was appointed Igor Kobzev.

Later, Kobzev was introduced to members of the regional government and deputies of the legislative assembly.

More information about the resignation - in the material RT.