Espreso. Global
OPINION

Recent changes in Russian government. What to expect from new Defense Minister

13 May, 2024 Monday
14:01

The new Defense Minister, former First Deputy Prime Minister Belousov, was de facto promoted

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His task is to reduce corruption flows and redirect the freed-up money into defense. He is definitely smarter and more systematic than Shoigu, which is worse for Ukraine. But it's hardly worth saying that the new minister will change anything dramatically, although some order will be restored. In addition, it is Belousov who is supposed to report to Putin on the problems with the military-industrial complex that come from Chemezov's Rostec. In other words, by elevating Chemezov, Putin has put a kind of overseer next to him.

As for Belousov himself, he is 1000% Putin's man and will be guided exclusively by him. He does not have a number two figure to guide him.

Shoigu's appointment to replace Patrushev on the Security Council means turning the same Security Council into a dumping ground for downed pilots. And it's also worth noting that Belousov will make all his anti-corruption revelations quietly and without noise.

While there is still an intrigue with the new position for Patrushev, we can cautiously assume that he will lose (gradually lose) his enormous influence on the security forces, which he had until recently.

This raises the question of who will become the security forces' curator and whether such a position will exist at all. It is quite realistic that such a person will simply not exist, and Putin will try to deal with this issue himself. However, he is too lazy to do this routine work on a daily basis. And this cannot but lead to a series of failures and conflicts. So for now, we need to keep an eye on this.

Source

About the author: Vadym Denysenko, political scientist.

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.

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