MOSCOW, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - The current government reshuffle is the "first step toward testing the formula of succession and a successor" to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the leader of the Communist party (KPRF) said Monday.

"This is a new testing stage," Gennady Zyuganov said. "The successor has to be tested out in an executive position."

According to Zyuganov, "the new [succession] formula will be developed in the next 3-4 months."

"The new appointments prove that a decision has been made to strengthen the government with people who are close to the president by spirit and character, with those who worked with him in tandem recently," the KPRF leader said. "But only in several months will we be able to make more serious conclusions."

Zyuganov's comments came in response to Putin's series of new high-profile government appointments earlier Monday. Dmitry Medvedev moved from the Kremlin administration to become first deputy prime minister, and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was appointed deputy prime minister while retaining his current post.