What Impact Will Russia's New Defense Minister Have in Ukraine?

Carnegie Politika Podcast

Following his fifth presidential inauguration, Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new government. The most significant change is to the Defense Ministry, which will now be led by Andrei Belousov, a Keynesian economist and former deputy prime minister. Coming amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and notable arrests within the Defense Ministry, the reshuffle has prompted questions about Kremlin priorities.

What will Belousov's first moves as defense minister be? How will his predecessor Sergei Shoigu’s role evolve, and how might it impact the frontline in Ukraine?