Former Russian Security Council secretary reappointed as Putin's aide

Former Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has been reappointed as an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin announced on May 14.

The latest announcement comes amid a reshuffle of the highest levels of Russia's security aparatus in recent days.

Patrushev, who is believed to be one of Putin's closest confidants and held the position of Security Council secretary since 2008, was recently replaced by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Shoigu had been Russia's defense minister since 2012. Putin proposed dismissing Shoigu on May 12 and nominated Andrei Belousov, a former aide and economy minister, as Shoigu's replacement.

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The Kremlin also announced on May 14 that Tula Oblast Governor Alexey Dyumin had been dismissed from his post and would be reappointed as an aide to Putin.

Dyumin is a former deputy defense minister and former special forces commander, according to Russian media.

The Wall Street Journal reported in December 2023 that Patrushev, the former head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), was responsible for ordering the assassination of the Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head Wagner mercenary group.

Patrushev reportedly did not approve of Prigozhin's open criticism of top Russian military brass and was concerned that Wagner had gained too much power.

A British court concluded in 2016 that Patrushev, together with Putin, probably approved the assassination of fomer FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.

Read also: Russian media: Russian Defense Ministry personnel chief Kuznetsov detained

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