Successor already fixed

Kremlin hammer! Putin dismisses defense minister

More than two years after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has dismissed his defense minister and close confidant Sergei Shoigu.

(Bild: AP)

In the midst of the war against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has caused a sensation in the Kremlin. The 71-year-old surprisingly dismissed his defense minister Sergei Shoigu (68) on Sunday and appointed the previous deputy head of government Andrei Beloussov (65) as his successor. However, there is already a new post for Shoigu.

Sergei Shoigu will become Secretary of the National Security Council and will be replaced at the head of the ministry by civilian Andrei Beloussov, the presidential administration announced. Beloussov, an economics expert, was previously First Deputy Prime Minister. 

Shoigu is considered one of Putin's closest confidants and was one of the longest-serving ministers. The future of the influential former Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev initially remained open. The 72-year-old's future duties will be announced in the coming days, explained Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin is Chairman of the Security Council.

The former deputy head of government Andrei Beloussov will become Russia's new defense minister

(Bild: AP)

Beloussov is not only a civil servant, but has also worked successfully in politics for many years and advised Putin on economic issues. He is "undoubtedly the best candidate" to expand the Russian defense industry complex and introduce new technologies, Duma deputy Sergei Gavrilov was quoted as saying by Tass.

Putin wants to stick with Lavrov
However, Putin reportedly intends to retain Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov

(Bild: AP)

Shoigu deputy arrested
No official reason was given for the personnel change. However, there had been some speculation about the possible dismissal of 68-year-old Shoigu, who had been defense minister since 2012. A few weeks ago, one of Shoigu's deputies, Timur Ivanov, was arrested on corruption charges. Observers had interpreted this as a sign of power struggles within the Russian military and security apparatus.

Today, the winner on the battlefield is the one who is more open to innovation and its implementation.

Kremlsprecher Peskow erklärte Putins Entscheidung

Shoigu was criticized
Shoigu and Gerasimov were repeatedly criticized in Russia for military failures in Ukraine. In 2014, Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in an internationally unrecognized move and also supported separatists in eastern Ukraine. In February 2022, the Russian army launched a major attack on the neighboring country, which the Russian government described as a "special military operation". Ukraine succeeded in recapturing large parts of the initially occupied territories. For some time now, however, Ukraine has been on the defensive.

Shoigu's 65-year-old successor Beloussov was Putin's advisor on economic issues for many years and has held various positions in the government in recent years. Among other things, he was acting head of government for several weeks in 2020 when Mikhail Mishustin was unable to work due to a coronavirus infection.

Russian President Vladimir Putin fires his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

(Bild: AP)

Putin starts his fifth term in office
The previous government had resigned in accordance with the constitution when Putin took up his fifth term in office as president on Tuesday. The 71-year-old was confirmed in March in an election that was internationally criticized as neither free nor fair.

Following the reappointment of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's technocrat on Friday, Putin's initial personnel plans for the future government were announced on Saturday.

Denis Manturov, the minister previously responsible for the Russian war economy, was promoted to Mishustin's first deputy. Manturov, who headed the industry and trade department, is handing over his ministerial post to the current governor of Kaliningrad, Anton Alikhanov. However, the government has announced that Manturov will once again be responsible for industry in his new role.