2024-05-13 17:38:13
On Sunday evening, it was reported that the head of the Kremlin replaced Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu with Andrey Belousov. He transferred the dismissed official to the post of Secretary of the Security Council instead of Nikolai Patrushev.
Experts say these high-profile reshuffles after the presidential election show that Putin is taking important steps to mobilize Russia’s economy and defense industrial base.
ISW explained that A. Belousov, who served for almost a decade as the Minister of Economy in the Russian federal government and recently led various internal innovation projects in the areas of the military industrial complex and drones, is well-suited to lead the apparatus of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
“A. Belousov has a solid reputation as an efficient technocrat, and insiders say he also enjoys a positive relationship with Putin,” the analysts added.
The report suggests that replacing Patrushev with Shoigu as Security Council secretary is also in line with Putin’s overall policy of quietly ousting senior security officials, assigning them peripheral roles in Russian security rather than simply dismissing them. .
In the past, he has similarly ousted his failed generals, reassigning them to peripheral security and defense positions outside the immediate chain of command, sometimes allowing them to “repent and return to Putin’s service.”
With the exception of Patrushev’s dismissal, the Russian commander has largely reappointed the heads of key security services, suggesting he has retained a core of loyal security officials.
Prepared by Unian inf.
2024-05-13 17:38:13