Putin sacks defence minister Shoigu, shifts to head Security Council

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, from his post to head the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Russian state news agency TASS and the Kremlin reported on Sunday evening.

More than two years after the full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, Shoigu replaces Nikolai Patrushev as secretary of the National Security Council, the Kremlin announced.

Earlier TASS cited the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, as saying that Shoigu's successor is to be the former deputy prime minister, Andrei Belousov.

Putin's proposals for the composition of the new Russian government were received at the Federation Council. Putin was sworn in for a new term of office just a few days ago.

No official reason was given for the change in personnel.

"Today, the winner on the battlefield is the one who is more open to innovation and its implementation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, explaining Putin's decision to appoint a civilian to head the Ministry of Defence.

Belousov 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 defence industry complex and introduce new technologies, Sergei Gavrilov, a lawmaker in the lower house, or Duma, was quoted as saying by TASS.

There had been some speculation about the possible dismissal of 68-year-old Shoigu, who had been defence 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.

Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov will remain in his position, Peskov stressed. The military component in the Ministry of Defence will remain unchanged even after the appointment of Belousov, he added.

Former National Security Council secretary Patrushev's new appointment will be announced shortly, Peskov explained. The 72-year-old hardliner, a former head of the FSB domestic intelligence service, was regarded as a "éminence grise" in the Kremlin.

Shoigu's 65-year-old successor Belousov was Putin's adviser on economic issues for many years and has held various posts in the government in recent years.

Among others, he was acting prime minister for several weeks in 2020 when Mikhail Mishustin was unable to work due to a coronavirus infection.

After 20 years in office, Sergei Lavrov is to remain Russia's foreign minister in accordance with Putin's wishes as submitted to the upper house, the Federation Council announced on Telegram on Sunday evening.

The 74-year-old has been in office since 2004, making him one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in the world. Putin's close ally is considered indispensable for Russia in times of crisis.

There had been repeated speculation whether Lavrov would no longer be represented in the new government currently being formed in Russia in view of his long tenure.