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Vladimir Putin has replaced two of his longest-serving security officials in a surprise reshuffle, suggesting the Russian president is dissatisfied with the handling of his two-year invasion of Ukraine.
Putin, who was sworn in for a fifth term in office earlier this week that extends his quarter-century rule until at least 2030, appointed Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister, to be head of Russia’s security council on Sunday, according to the upper house of parliament.
Andrei Belousov, a deputy prime minister and longtime economic adviser to Putin, will replace Shoigu, who had run Russia’s defence ministry since 2012.
Nikolai Patrushev, a hawkish former spy and one of Putin’s closest aides, will take up an unspecified new position after leading the security council since 2008.
This is a developing story . . .
