Can you lead an army at war without any military experience? This is the thorny question that Andreï Beloussov will have to answer. A few days after his inauguration for a fifth term, Vladimir Putin decided to dismiss his faithful Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, in office since 2012. A surprise reshuffle which sees Andreï Belooussov, an economist by training, take the head of an army in full military offensive in Ukraine, in the Kharkiv region.
Aged 65, Andreï Beloussov has the difficult task of replacing a well-known international figure. Holder of a degree in economics at Moscow State University in 1981, he adopted a penchant for liberalism in the late 1990s. In addition to his knowledge in this field, Andreï Belooussov is also a recognized mathematician . From 1981 to 1986, he was a trainee and then junior researcher in the human-machine systems simulation laboratory of the Central Institute of Economic Mathematics. From 1991 to 2006, Andreï Beloussov was head of the laboratory at the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
A regular in Russian politics
During this period, the economist began his career in politics. According to the Reuters agency, Andreï Beloussov was appointed “non-personal advisor to the Russian Prime Minister in 2000”. Six years later, his expertise allowed him to join the Ministry of the Economy as vice-minister. His rise continued when, in 2008, he became director of the Department of Economy and Finance of the government apparatus. A position he held for four years in direct contact with Vladimir Putin, then Prime Minister.
A close friend of Vladimir Putin
In 2012, Andreï Beloussov became a well-known figure in Russian politics thanks to his appointment as Minister of the Economy. He remained in this position for less than a year, but remained active with Vladimir Putin. From 2013 to 2020, he became an advisor to the head of the Kremlin. A position he left after his appointment as deputy prime minister. During these years in politics, the man managed to win the ear of Vladimir Putin. According to the Russian media RBC, he was one of the officials who convinced the former member of the KGB to take the digital turn for the country’s economy.
A need for innovation
Despite his experience in Russian politics, the appointment of a man without military background to the post of Defense Minister of a country at war may raise questions. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, justified this decision by a need coming directly from the front. “Today, on the battlefield, the one who wins is the one who is most open to innovation,” he said. For Vladimir Putin, “the Ministry of Defense must be absolutely open to innovation, to the introduction of all advanced ideas, to the creation of conditions for economic competitiveness,” he added.
Note that Valéri Guerassimov, chief of staff, would retain his mission as commander on the ground. Andrei Belousov will not encroach on his duties.