How will war course in Ukraine change after Shoigu's resignation: UK intelligence predicts

This is reported by the UK Defense Ministry.

It is noted that Andrei Belousov, who replaced Sergei Shoigu as Russian Defense Minister, is a professional economist with no military experience. Since January 2020, he has served as First Deputy Prime Minister, and before that he worked as an assistant to the President for Economic Affairs.

“It is likely that he has been appointed to ensure greater efficiency in defense spending and to ensure closer coordination between defense industries and the needs of the Armed Forces,” the analysts write.

The intelligence also suggests that this appointment is likely to be an extremely difficult task for Belousov, given the high level of corruption in the Russian Defense Ministry and the army.

“The change of Defense Minister is highly unlikely to have a major immediate impact on the prosecution of the Russian war in Ukraine. With Putin also announcing that there will be no changes to senior appointments in the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the current Russian approach to the war is likely to continue,” the intelligence added.

• On May 12, Russian dictator Putin announced personnel changes in the Kremlin government - Sergei Shoigu is to be replaced as Russia's Defense Minister by Andrei Belousov, who was the First Deputy Prime Minister in the previous government.