ALROSA said Okoemov and Matveev had received commendations from Russia's finance minister for their "significant contribution to the development of the diamond industry and for many years of conscientious work".

Alexander Terentiev, advisor to the CEO and head of ALROSA's office in Yakutsk, also recently left the company to take up a government role. ALROSA said its representative office in Yakutsk would be restructured to "eliminate duplication of functions and excessive document flow".

Sergey Imangulov has meanwhile become the company's chief ore enrichment specialist, and Alla Popova is now director of its personnel training centre.