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Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced his embattled defense minister with a civilian economist in an effort to shake up the brutal war after the United States approved billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine. ing.
Sergei Shoigu, 68, who has faced criticism over his handling of the invasion, has resigned from the Defense Ministry and will now take up a role in Russia's National Security Council, which oversees foreign and domestic security issues. The Kremlin announced on Sunday.
President Putin proposed that First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, 65, who previously served as an aide to the Ministry of Economic Development, take command of the Ministry of Defense.
According to the Kremlin, Belousov has more than 20 years of government experience as an economic expert and Kremlin advisor, but has no military experience.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was “natural” for Putin to put civilians in charge of defense in order to introduce new ideas to the Pentagon.
“The Ministry of Defense must actively embrace innovation, introduce advanced ideas and create conditions for economic competitiveness,” Peskov told reporters. That's why I chose this candidate.”
Belousov's appointment must first be approved by Russian lawmakers, who are little more than a rubber stamp for the Kremlin.
This reorganization comes after a difficult year for Shoigu. Shoigu faces increasing pressure over the stalled war in Ukraine and the short-lived Wagner mercenary rebellion under Evgeny Prigozhin.
Shoigu also witnessed the arrest last month of one of his MPs, Timur Ivanov, on suspicion of accepting large bribes in the biggest corruption scandal since the war began.
Belosov will now oversee Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The situation intensified over the weekend after Kremlin forces began seizing villages in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
The new siege has forced Ukrainian civilians to feel like they are the only liberated province to avoid some of the heaviest fighting of the war so far.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensk insisted that Russia did not have the manpower to take advantage of the Kharkiv attack and vowed that Kiev would retaliate.
“We will send more troops to the Kharkiv region,” President Zelenskiy said on Saturday. “We will always destroy (Russian forces) in such a way as to thwart Russia's offensive intentions, both along the border and along the entire front line.”
with post wire
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