Putin replaces Russia’s Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu

Sergei Shoigu, who has been replaced as Russia’s Minister of Defense, attends a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Astana, Kazakhstan, on April 26, 2024.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Andrey Belousov as Minister of Defense, replacing current minister Sergei Shoigu, the Kremlin said on Sunday night.

ergei Shoigu was relieved of his post as Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation by presidential decree and was also appointed by decree of the President of the Russian Federation as Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Shoigu will also be Putin’s deputy in the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation, Peskov said.

Nikolai Patrushev, the previous Secretary of the Security Council, was relieved of his position and is “due to a transfer to another job,” Peskov said.

Belousov previously served as first deputy prime minister.