He is one of the faces of the Russian assault in Ukraine. But more than two years after the start of the war, Sergei Shoigu will not have survived criticism of his management of the conflict: the Russian defense minister was dismissed on Sunday May 12 by Vladimir Putin. He held the position for almost twelve years.
This faithful lieutenant of the Russian president is replaced by Andreï Beloussov, an economist by training, and becomes secretary of the security council, a position held until then by Nikolaï Patrushev, who is dismissed from his functions, according to a decree published by the Kremlin. This reshuffle comes at a time when the Russian army is advancing in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, a few days after launching a ground assault there, and is increasing its pressure in the Donbass.
“Shoigu will continue to work in this area, which he knows well, which he knows very well from the inside, with his colleagues and his partners in his former workplace,” the presidential spokesperson quickly clarified. Russian, Dmitri Peskov, cited by Russian agencies.
Sergei Shoigu, 68, has been Minister of Defense in Russia since 2012 and personified the stability of the various governments under Vladimir Putin, just like the head of diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, who retains his post as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
A popularity that collapsed
Despite a series of humiliating setbacks for Russian troops in Ukraine in 2022, after the initial offensive on February 24, Vladimir Putin maintained his confidence in Sergei Shoigu, despite criticism from part of the wing. army war. This was particularly the case following the aborted revolt in June 2023 by fighters from the Wagner paramilitary group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who caused power to waver. It was he, and not Vladimir Putin, who was directly targeted by Wagner’s rebellion: “This bastard will be arrested,” said Prigozhin before sending his men towards Moscow. During the twenty-four hours of the crisis, Sergei Shoigu remained nowhere to be found, provoking the taunts of many fighters on the front.
His popularity collapsed as his army suffered setbacks, mired in logistical and command problems, and forced to withdraw from several sectors of the front. And his position has been further weakened in recent weeks by accusations of corruption targeting one of his former deputy ministers.
Andreï Beloussov, his replacement, has training as an economist and no military background. At 65, he was first vice-president of the last government since 2020 and one of Vladimir Putin’s main economic advisors in recent years, even having briefly served as minister of economic development between May 2012 and June 2013.
A need for innovation
Dmitri Peskov justified Vladimir Putin’s decision by a need coming directly from the front, after more than two years of fighting in Ukraine and without a clear outcome to the conflict. “Today, on the battlefield, the one who wins is the one who is most open to innovation,” he said.
According to Vladimir Putin, “the Ministry of Defense must be absolutely open to innovation, to the introduction of all advanced ideas, to the creation of conditions for economic competitiveness,” argued Mr. Peskov.
In recent months, the Russian president has encouraged the country’s defense industry to innovate and produce in larger quantities to continue the offensive in Ukraine, which is costly in terms of equipment and men. Because if Ukraine relies on equipment donated by the Europeans and the United States, Russia can only count militarily on its Iranian and North Korean partners mainly, without forgetting China, whose demand allows largely to keep the Russian economy afloat.
Changes soon to be ratified by Parliament
The Kremlin spokesperson also declared that Valéri Guerassimov, chief of staff, would keep his mission as commander on the ground, without Mr. Beloussov encroaching on his functions.
The future role of Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Security Council since 2008 and before that head of the FSB during Vladimir Putin’s first two terms in the Kremlin, will be communicated “in the coming days”, said Dmitri Peskov. The head of foreign intelligence (SVR), Sergei Naryshkin, will retain his prerogatives, as will the head of the powerful Russian security services (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov.
Representatives of the State Duma and the Federation Council, the two chambers of the Russian Parliament, are expected to approve these unexpected changes on Monday and Tuesday. A formality as they are dominated by United Russia, the party of Vladimir Putin, in the absence of any tolerated opposition.
