Putin appoints new defence minister

Andrey Belousov. Stock photo: Getty Images

Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has signed a decree appointing Andrey Belousov as Defence Minister of Russia, replacing Sergei Shoigu.

Source: Kremlin press service

Details: Belousov was previously appointed as the First Deputy Prime Minister.

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Putin also signed decrees appointing other ministers: Minister of Industry and Trade, Minister of Sport, Minister of Transport, Minister of Energy and Minister of Agriculture.

The rest of the heads of the ministries remained in their positions, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergei Naryshkin, and FSB director Alexander Bortnikov.

Background: 

• On 12 May, it became known that Putin was proposing to appoint First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov as Defence Minister instead of Sergei Shoigu.
• At the same time, RIA Novosti is reporting that Putin has appointed Shoigu as Secretary of Russia’s Security Council and has dismissed the previous Secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, “in connection with his transfer to another position”.
• On 14 May, Belousov outlined his priorities as head of the Russian Defence Ministry.

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