Putin names technocrat as defence chief to help steer Russia’s war economy

to change his defence minister, replacing the compromised Sergei Shoigu with technocrat Andrei Belousov, in a move that underlines the Kremlin’s need to ensure that massive military spending drives rather than destroys the national economy.

Russian troops are now on the front foot in parts of eastern Ukraine as Kyiv awaits more western weapons and fresh army recruits, so Shoigu can be moved to a prestigious but largely advisory post in the national security council without highlighting the failure of his forces to secure their expected quick and easy win in Ukraine.

“It is now important for Putin to make sure that the enormous sums of money spent on war are not stolen. But Belousov will now ruin his reputation forever as an accomplice,” said Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It is very important to integrate the economy of the security sector into the economy of the country so that it meets current needs,” he added. “The ministry of defence must be absolutely open to innovation, to the introduction of all advanced ideas, to create conditions for economic competitiveness. And that’s precisely why the president chose the candidacy of ... Belousov.”

In signs of an emerging dynastic elite in Russia, the sons of two of Putin’s long-term friends and close allies were promoted: Boris Kovalchuk was made head of the national audit chamber and Dmitry Patrushev was promoted to deputy prime minister. His father Nikolai Patrushev – one of Russia’s most influential anti-western “hawks” – is to be given a new post after being replaced by Shoigu as secretary of the national security council.

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