Transition from Shoigu to Belousov as Russian Defense Minister: Impact on hostilities assessed by expert

A Russian-Ukrainian war veteran, Reserve Major Oleksiy Hetman suggested on the air of Radio NV that the dismissal and appointment in the Russian leadership indicate Russia’s plans to wage a protracted war with Ukraine.

Read also: Shoigu out as Russian Defense Minister after 11+ years, his appointment has no military experience

"[Russian Defense Minister Sergey] Shoigu was not just dismissed, he replaced [Nikolai] Patrushev in another position - secretary of the National Security Council. This is also a serious position. This means that they are planning a protracted war, which is why such changes are taking place," Hetman said.

This will not directly affect the course of hostilities, Hetman predicts.

"Shoigu did not plan hostilities, [Valery] Gerasimov sailed as the head of the General Staff. Therefore, most likely, it will have a greater impact on organizational moments in the Russian army, on possible mobilization moments. Shoigu did not make decisions about hostilities. Russian Defense Ministry is a structure that must provide the army with everything it needs, as in other countries, and combat operations are already planned by the General Staff and commanders directly on the spot."

Gerasimov would continue to lead the General Staff of the Russian Federation, Hetman assumed.

Read also: Another Putin’s puppet to lead Russian Defense Ministry, says UK’s Grant Shapps

"It seems to me that Gerasimov will not be touched yet, because he has a lot of experience, with organizational experience, he is the author of these things that we call hybrid war, he wrote scientific articles. But it is quite possible that he can be transferred to some such position, not directly related to combat operations, but still to the theory of conducting hybrid warfare."

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin decided to replace Sergey Shoigu as Defense Minister with Andrey Belousov, who was the first deputy head of the government in the previous Russian government on May 12.

Shoigu was dismissed from the post of minister, became the secretary of the Russian Security Council instead of Nikolai Patrushev.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine