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President Vladimir Putin has suddenly replaced two of his longest-serving security officials. This suggests that the Russian president is dissatisfied with the response to the two-year invasion of Ukraine.
President Putin took the oath of office earlier this week for a fifth term, extending his quarter-century rule until at least 2030, but on Sunday appointed Sergei Shoigu, who had served as defense minister since 2012, as chairman of Russia’s Security Council. It was reported that he had been transferred to. upper house of parliament.
Shoigu will be replaced by Andrei Belousov, a deputy prime minister and longtime economic advisor to President Putin.
Nikolai Patrushev, a hawkish former spy and one of Putin’s closest allies who has led the Security Council since 2008, will take up an unspecified new role.
Putin’s appointment marks the biggest overhaul of security officials in a decade and a half, even as Putin’s forces continue to advance against Ukraine’s poorly manned and outgunned military.
The Kremlin portrayed Shoigu’s move as part of an effort to rein in Russia’s runaway defense spending. A record 10.8 trillion rupees ($118.5 billion) is expected to be spent this fiscal year on President Putin’s order to resupply troops fighting in Ukraine.
Mr. Shoigu has long been considered almost untouchable, thanks to his closeness with Putin (they have vacationed together several times in his Siberian hometown of Tuva) and his role in thwarting a rebellion challenge by mercenary leader Yevgeny. was considered a person. Last year’s Prigogine.
But even as Russia has gained the upper hand in Ukraine in recent months, Mr. Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov continue to provoke widespread anger among war supporters over the military’s failures on numerous battlefields. Ta.
Late last month, Russian security services arrested Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov on corruption charges, a move seen as an indication that Putin wanted to undermine Shoigu.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Kremlin has decided to cut back on economic officials who run the Defense Ministry after Russia’s security budget ballooned to 6.6% of gross domestic product (GDP). He said he would like to appoint a
“This is not a significant number for now, but due to the well-known geopolitical situation around us, we are gradually approaching the situation in the mid-1980s, when the share of security spending was only 4%. Yes,” Peskov said. He said.
“This requires special attention,” Peskov added. “It is very important to align the security economy with the national economy and adapt it to the current dynamics.”
“It’s also important to point out that on the battlefield, people are more open to innovation.” [ . . . ] I’ll win. At this stage, the president has decided that a civilian should be in charge of the Ministry of Defense. ”
Peskov said Belousov’s tenure as President Putin’s economic advisor, economic development minister and first deputy prime minister “must embrace innovation, introduce forward-thinking ideas and create conditions for economic competition.” He said it was a relevant experience for the Ministry of Defense. ”
He said Belousov’s appointment would not affect the mission of Russia’s top commander in Ukraine, Gerasimov.
He did not explain why Patrushev was removed. Peskov told reporters that Patrushev “continues to work and will inform us of the location in the next few days.”
Michael Koffman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment who studies the Russian military, said the realignment “makes clear that Russia’s economic elite far outperformed its military elite in this war.” Stated.
Mr. Belousov’s appointment means that Mr. Gerasimov will eventually succeed him as well, Mr. Coffman said.
“Shoigu was incompetent, but loyal. The same can be said about Gerasimov. In the past, the Chief of the General Staff was replaced by the Minister of Defense. Peskov said that Gerasimov would stay, but Belousov probably You want to leave it there.”
