"Vladimir Putin is likely frustrated by Russia's overall lack of progress in the war, although it is currently on the battlefield," commented Ivan Klishch, a Russian political analyst from the International Center for Defense and Security (ICDS), reported FOCUS.
Ivan Klish points out that "the whole Kremlin" is focused on winning the war and the realignment must be "viewed in that light".
He emphasizes that the Kremlin tends to replace senior officials some time after failure or defeat, or after they have not performed at a certain level.
"With Shoigu, this is part of the story. It has to do with...some of the defeats that Russia has suffered on the front in 2022 and the lack of progress in the war for them in 2023."
Klisch recalls that Shoigu was in a "weak position" for some time now.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the appointment of Andrei Belousov, who was previously First Deputy Prime Minister, as the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. Current Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will replace Nikolai Patrushev as Secretary of Russia's Security Council.