Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and proposed Andrei Belousov in his place, the Russian Senate reported in its official Telegram channel and the country’s main state media reported.

Belousov is a civilian with a strong economic profile.

Belousov was still the deputy prime minister of the government and held various positions, such as minister of economic development (2012–2013) or presidential adviser on economic issues.

As Deputy Prime Minister since 2020, he is mainly responsible for socio-economic development and the implementation of a unified financial, credit and monetary policy, as well as regulation of the financial, insurance and audit markets, emphasizes public television RBC.

He was also responsible for infrastructure projects, the transport sector, the implementation of national projects and foreign investments.

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Shoigu, in turn, will be appointed Secretary of the State Council – Senate – by decree signed by Putin, as explained by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The current Secretary of the State Council Nikolai “Patrushev has been relieved of his position as secretary to perform another function.” “We will inform you in the coming days,” he said.

Shoigu, defense minister since 2012, will now serve as Putin’s representative on the Senate commission on the military-industrial complex. “He is deeply immersed in this work,” Peskov said.

Peskov stressed that the Ministry of Defense “must be absolutely open to innovation, to the introduction of all advanced ideas to create conditions for the competitiveness of the economy.” That is why, according to the agency’s interlocutor, Putin chose Belousov, who successfully headed the Ministry of Economic Development.