Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Petr Akopov
[REGNUM] The appointment of Andrei Belousov as Minister of Defense was one of Vladimir Putin’s most unexpected personnel decisions in a quarter of a century. However, it is not illogical - and it is certainly not atypical for the president. From the very beginning, the army was one of Putin’s main priorities - it is no coincidence that almost immediately, in 2001, Sergei Ivanov, the president’s closest ally and friend, was appointed to the Ministry of Defense. It was under him that the army reform began, which they developed together with Putin and the General Staff. But the qualities of a professional intelligence officer and analyst were not enough to restore order in the extremely neglected military economy - and it was also necessary to rebuild both the Ministry of Defense itself and the army as such.
|