Significant Change in Russian Defense Ministry: A Civilian Economist Replaces Sergei Shoigu

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, unexpectedly dismissed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Sunday at the beginning of his new presidential term, replacing him with a civilian economist. According to Reuters, Andrei Belousov, 65, who previously served as Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, will take over from the 68-year-old Shoigu, who has held the position since 2012. Shoigu, considered an ally of Putin, is set to become the Secretary of the Russian Security Council and will also have responsibilities overseeing military-industrial complex activities. This replacement, pending approval from lawmakers, is the most significant change Putin has made at the top levels of military command since the start of the war in Ukraine. More than two years have passed since Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, a war that has resulted in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in costs for both sides, with no end in sight. The Kremlin spokesperson stated that appointing an economic expert as Defense Minister is logical under the current circumstances, as it is essential to ensure that war-related expenses align with the economic situation. According to Dmitry Peskov, the current situation is similar to that of the former Soviet Union in the mid-1980s when military and law enforcement forces accounted for over 7% of GDP. Vladimir Putin began his fifth presidential term last week amid extensive sanctions from the United States and the European Union due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.