What’s behind Putin’s replacement of defense minister Shoigu? | DW News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced defense minister Serge shyu it’s the first shakeup of his National Security team since the invasion of Ukraine shu’s replacement is Andre bar usov an economist and former deputy prime minister Shu who oversaw Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will now run the National Security Council sge shu’s future seemed up in the air as Vladimir Putin was inaugurated for latest term in office but on Sunday the Kremlin confirmed that Shyer would be moved from his post shyo is a longtime Ally of President Putin he was appointed to the position of Defense Minister in 2012 and he has close personal ties to Putin he’s very publicly taken the president on multiple hunting trips to his homeland in southern Siberia but recently shyu has become deeply unpopular in Russia he’s seen by many as being largely responsible for the early failures of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rumors were Rife that his removal was coming on Sunday Putin appointed shyu head of Russia’s Security Council to replace Nikolai petev it’s been seen as a demotion for Shu and it’s unclear what pev’s new role will be both men were key figures in Russia’s war in Ukraine and their reshuffle took some Western military observers by surprise clearly uh Putin has recently been reug durated for his latest term in the presidency and you would have expected at that point maybe some changes in the leadership but not these two are not together shu’s successor as defense minister is Andre bov a former prime minister and Economist Bella OV is a civilian with little military experience the Kremlin says Bella usov got the job because Putin wants the ministry to be open to Innovation it is important to incorporate the economy of the security block into the country’s economy to Incorporated in a way that matches the Dynamics of the current moment it’s also important to mention that today those who are more open to Innovation and Implement Innovation the quickest win on the battlefield with Bella Uso’s nomination Putin is most likely looking to bring military funding in step with the Russian economy similar to the Soviet Union of the 1980s more on this I’m joined Now by our correspondent Roman goncharenko Roman why is Putin replacing his defense minister at this point in the war well um it it’s not not really a surprise because um about a year ago there was this Mutiny of the proring Vagner group that we don’t hear anymore in the news but which was very influential a year ago or two years ago when the Russian war big Invasion started that mercenary group so pran attacked the defense minister and the head of the general staff um very harshly very um he humiliated them both actually so um observers were expecting um a resignation of shu last year but he’s a very close Ally of Vladimir Putin that’s why he kept him for a year now he’s replacing him it’s the reason is obvious the war is not going just as Putin planned it it’s the third year the Russian economy is stable but it’s it’s a very heavy burden for the Russian economy and econ economy is key to continue this war of attrition that is that is going on that is why uh the new um defense minister is is a um expert in economy tell us Roman about shu’s successor Andre belluso what does he bring to the job well it’s an interesting figure because um he kept a very low profile despite of being um in high positions he was Deputy uh prime minister he was uh minister of economy a few years ago uh he has economic background economy is his um major so to say um he comes from a um academic family Russian Soviet Elite in the 80s 70s but um I think he’s his the major reason for for appointing him is his expertise in economy and this is something that um which which is actually similar to what Ukrainian President Vladimir zinski did a year ago uh who also exchanged the defense minister and the current Ukrainian defense minister has also economic background so both countries are preparing for a war of attrition now this is the first cabinet reshuffle since Putin renewed his mandate as president uh are more changes expected Roman well there are a few changes the most interesting being probably the removal of um Mr pev from the head of uh of being a head of the Russian National Security Council the former Defense Minister Shu will take his place um Mr part was also a very close Ally of Vladimir Putin he was head of the FSB the Russian Secret Service um but he was um making some very strange remarks lately um some people said he was um well he was he was um some someone questioning for example covid-19 some say he was questioning if if Americans were on the moon in the 70s you know things like that um and it’s um it’s it’s maybe he’s become a burden for Vladimir Putin there is an exchange there and it is an important change Roman thank you very much that was our correspondent Roman gono in Bon I also spoke to our correspondent Nick Conley in keev about this I asked him what effect the change of Russia’s defense minister is likely to have on the war in Ukraine I think seing from K of any kind of change any lack of consist see any kind of internal power struggles in Moscow are very welcome it doesn’t seem though that apart from the defense Ministry we’ve going to see a very different Russian government most most of the ministers have kept their positions um as we heard there in the report bill oiv is a technocrat someone who has you know shown that he can help uh the Russian State organize its kind of military industrial complex and Sho himself was not seen as someone who was particularly good at strategy who was perhaps more concerned with his own PR than with actually uh improving things with the soldiers on the ground so I think it’s fairly neutral scene from Kev but certainly any kind of sign of internal rivalries we’ve had Shy’s Deputy uh in prison on corruption charges now about facing trial so anything that kind of suggests those kind of Moscow power battles that could distract from fighting this war here is certainly very welcome

Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced Sergei Shoigu as defense minister in the first reshuffle of the national security team since the invasion of Ukraine. Shoigu’s designated replacement is economist and former deputy prime minister Andrei Belousov.

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22 comments

  3. Israelis would say he was replaced because of khamas. Ukrainians would say because Ukraine is winning.

    Both will ask the US for more money.

  11. Shoigu is now part of security council where he is needed while also getting more time off he wanted for years and the economist is now a defense minister because they need to optimize financially. Shoigu was already spending most of his time negotiating with contractors and setting up supply chains. So this seems like a normal move.

  14. How can anyone decide during the middle of a war the head of the military could be better run by an accountant rather than someone with a military background? Putin has to be placating those with enough power to get rid of him.

  18. DW news reports about terrorists as it was a normal event in a democratic society – i tells a lot about the moral misery that represents DW news

  20. You bring an economist to an embarrassing war where an underdog is overpowering you the big dog?

    No matter how we look at it I don't see this as a good strategic move, more like a tragic one.

    Way to go Putin.

  21. This is concerning, because Shoigu was higly incompetent but faithfull to Putin, this means he is starting to sacrifice his aura of "no second thoughts man" to get some results in return.

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