During last week's Victory Day parade in Red Square, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu conducted his final troop inspection before being replaced by President Vladimir Putin over the weekend. Shoigu, the longest-serving member of Putin's Cabinet, was succeeded by Andrei Belousov, an economics expert with no prior military experience.
The unexpected shake-up was seen as a move to enhance control over military spending and align the defense sector with the struggling Russian economy amidst Western sanctions. Shoigu's removal followed criticism for battlefield setbacks during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with accusations of incompetence and corruption leveled against him and Gen. Valery Gerasimov.
