MOSCOW, May 12 – Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed appointing Andrey Belousov, who previously served as the first deputy prime minister, as Russia’s new defense minister. Russia’s current defense chief Sergey Shoigu will replace Nikolay Patrushev as the Security Council Secretary.
Other heads of security ministries and services, as well as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, will retain their posts in the government. The president has also proposed appointing Boris Kovalchuk as the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber. This post has been vacant for one year and a half. TASS has summed up information about the cabinet reshuffle.
Reshuffle in the Russian Defense Ministry
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the decision to appoint Belousov as the defense minister is linked to the need of “making the economy of the security bloc part of the country’s economy.” Now the budget of the defense ministry is nearing the level of the 1980s, “which is not critical but <…> extremely important.”
Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov will retain his post, Peskov stressed. Belousov’s appointment “will in no way change the current coordinate system” in terms of defense issues, he noted.
Shoigu to replace Patrushev
As the Russian Security Council Secretary, Shoigu will among other issues oversee the work of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, which recently became directly subordinated to the president.
Apart from that, Shoigu will also become the president’s deputy in the Military-Industrial Commission. Now Putin is its chair, while Dmitry Medvedev is his first deputy in this body.
Patrushev was relieved from his duties in connection with his new post, according to the presidential decree. The Kremlin will announce further details about his new position “in the coming few days,” Peskov said.
Reappointments
Putin has proposed that the other heads of ministries and agencies of the security and foreign policy bloc should retain their posts. Thus, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Minister of Emergency Situations Alexander Kurenkov and Justice Minister Konstantin Chuychenko will keep performing their duties.
Other officials who will retain their posts are Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin, the heads of Russia’s Federal Security Service and Federal Protective Service, Alexander Bortnikov and Dmitry Kochnev, as well as the head of National Guard (Rosgvardiya) Viktor Zolotov. Alexander Lints will remain head of the Main Department for the President’s Special Programs (he is in charge of developing and implementing the state policy in the field of mobilization issues and planning respective events).
Accounts Chamber
Putin has also proposed appointing Boris Kovalchuk as the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber. This post has been vacant since November 2022 when Alexey Kudrin tendered his resignation. The chairman of the Accounts Chamber is appointed by the Federation Council. Kovalchuk was one of three candidates suggested for the president by Russia’s upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko.
In 2010-2024, Kovalchuk was Chairman of the Board of Inter RAO. In March 2024, he was appointed deputy head of the control directorate in the Russian presidential administration.
TASS