Russian state media is reporting that Putin has proposed Andrei Belousov, the former Russian Deputy Prime Minister, as a potential replacement to Sergei Shoigu as the Russian Minister of Defence, who has seemingly been removed from the position.
Shoigu is reportedly to replace Nikolai Patrushev as the Secretary of the National Security Council, a notable demotion within Russian politics.
The exact circumstances of Shoigu’s demotion are unclear, however Shoigu has repeatedly been accused of incompetence by a number of critics, including former Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin, who headed a ‘rebellion’ last year seeking Shoigu’s replacement.
