Current PSV Eindhoven and Australia coach Hiddink signed a two-year contract with the Russia Football Union in April and will take over from 43-year-old caretaker Alexander Borodyuk, who will remain on the touchline as a senior coach.
And captain Alexei Smertin was quick to praise former international striker Borodyuk, who himself appeared at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
"I have great respect for Borodyuk," he said ahead of a May 27 friendly against Spain. "He performed very well while working with the national team despite the Brazil loss [0-1 in a friendly]."
Hiddink, who took South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semifinals, has said he plans to work closely with Russian coaches to find the best players for the national team and wants to see Russia become a European force again.
The new head coach, 59, put pen to a 4-million-euro contract after coach Yury Syomin failed in a last ditch effort to salvage a World Cup qualifying campaign that had already claimed the scalp of predecessor Georgy Yarstev and sank to a new low with a 1-7 humiliation against Portugal.
Smertin, who returned to Dinamo Moscow this year after spells with three English clubs, said the team had yet to meet Hiddink. "I have spoken about him with the guys ... He has yet to come into the team, so it is difficult to say anything particular about him. But one thing is impressive: his results both at club and international level."
Vitaly Mutko, the president of the Russian Football Union, has said Hiddink will also help Russia's under-21 soccer team and develop a new training system.
