Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday sacked the country’s deputy defense minister, a week after booting longtime Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as part of a realignment of Russia’s military.
Deposed Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Sadovenko, who held the position under Mr. Shoigu for more than a decade, was replaced by Oleg Savelyev, a former deputy economy minister.
“Savelyev’s appointment is consistent with the Kremlin’s effort to improve the wartime economy, given that (he) has an extensive background in economics and experience in overseeing the audits of defense, national security and law enforcement activities,” according to an analysis by Washington’s Institute for the Study of War think tank.
Mr. Shoigu was replaced as Russia’s defense minister by former Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, also an economist with little military experience.
“Belousov’s choice is associated with increased spending on defense and security, which this year would amount to about 8.7% of GDP,” according to the Russian newspaper Pravda. “Belousov said that the president [assigned] him the task of making the military economy and the work of the defense department as open as possible.”
Mr. Sadovenko previously worked with Mr. Shoigu at the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and the administration of the Moscow Region before both men took over the top jobs at Russia’s Defense Ministry, according to Pravda.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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