2024-05-13 00:57:00
Russian President Vladimir Putin fires Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – and his successor has already been appointed.
Update from May 13, 3:00 pm: According to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, the dismissal of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is intended as a signal to the Russian public. “This is made for the domestic market. This is done to continue this war. Let us have no illusions that Putin is ready for peaceful negotiations,” the Baltic EU and NATO head of state told Lithuanian media reports Monday night (May 13) in Vilnius. “He feels he can do what he does. There is no other way to stop it than to support Ukraine. The important thing is to do it quickly.”
More than two years after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Shoigu, who had been in office since 2012. His successor will be former deputy head of government, Andrei Beloussov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) with Sergei Shoigu. (Archive photo 2022) © dpa
Putin fires Shoigu – a successor has been chosen
Moscow – More than two years after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has fired his defense minister and close confidant Sergei Shoigu. Shoigu’s successor will be former deputy prime minister Andrei Beloussov, according to the Russian state agency Tass reported on Sunday (May 12), citing the Federal Council. Putin’s proposals for the composition of the new Russian government were found there. No official reason was given for the personnel change.
The power struggle in the Russian military leadership? Putin fired Minister Shoigu in the middle of the war in Ukraine
However, there has been some speculation about the possible dismissal of the 68-year-old Shoigus, who has been defense minister since 2012. A few weeks ago, one of Shoigu’s deputies, Timur Ivanov, was arrested on corruption charges. Observers portrayed this as a sign of power struggles within the Russian military and security apparatus at the center of the war in Ukraine.
Shoigu is now to be secretary of the National Security Council; Nikolai Patrushev previously held this position. Patrushev’s new assignment will be announced soon, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin’s circle of power in the Kremlin – the mystery of the Russian president
View a series of photos
#Change #Kremlin #Putin #fired #Defense #Minister #Shoigu