Vladimir Putin has shown his rage at Russia's collapsing economy and failing war effort, as he publicly humiliated his deputy prime minister during an angry rant.
The fuming dictator blasted Denis Manturov in a government video conference for failing to procure military and civilian planes.
He accused him of "fooling around" after the politician, a deputy PM and Trade and Industry Minister, flew on holiday to Turkey over New Year.
The Kremlin leader also shook up his high command once again, promoting a number of loyalist generals.
A video of Putin's furious rant showed the president declaring: “There are no contracts. What are you going to tell me?"
He then adds: “I know there are no contracts at the companies, the directors told me.
“Why are you really fooling around?”
He told the minister that he had one month to sort out the mess — which led to a shortage of military planes for the airforce and a failure to supply new aircraft to civilian companies that are hit by Western sanctions.
Putin stormed: "This all must be done within a month, I am asking you, within a month…
“Don't we understand in what conditions we're living?”
The chastened Manturov was seen bowing his head.
Putin also shook up his military command structure for the umpteenth time during the war with Ukraine.
He made war commander General Sergei Surovikin subservient to chief of the general staff, General Valery Gerasimov, in controlling armed forces in the war.
The move appeared to strengthen the position of much-criticised Gerasimov amid growing resentment and dissent in the army.
Surovikin — known as General Armageddon — was made his deputy in an announcement made not by Putin, but by defence minister Sergei Shoigu, who has also faced strong criticism.
"The increase in the level of leadership of the special operation is linked to the expansion of the scale of the tasks at hand and the need for closer interaction between troops,” said the defence ministry.
Putin badly needs a bigger win than the seizure of Soledar which — if confirmed — has been accomplished by private army Wagner, comprising mostly prisoners, rather than the regularly armed forces.
The Putin change in high command ensures the position of Gerasimov, seen as a loyalist without political ambitions, while curbing the power of others, perhaps including Surovikin, who want to override Putin on war tactics.
Two other loyalist generals, Oleg Salyukov and Alexei Kim, were also appointed to the top table.
Earlier Putin had shown his fury over the slow delivery of modern and repaired tanks in a further sign of his frustration in the war.
