"The reshuffle in the Russian Ministry of Defense shows serious instability at the heart of the Russian leadership and there is probably something deeper going on," said Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer MI6, Sky News reported, quoted by FOCUS.
Christopher Steele has said that the removal of Nikolai Patrushev from the post of Secretary of the Russian Security Council was "astonishing".
"It is important to understand that he was one of Putin's closest allies, a former head of the FSB, etc. for many years... and was rated by people as possibly the second most powerful man in Russia after Putin himself," he added.
"I think what it shows is not just a realignment along normal government lines. This is really quite serious instability at the very heart of this regime.
Steele added that it had been "clear"for some time to Russia watchers that "Patrushev was grooming his son Dmitry, the current Minister of Agriculture, to succeed Putin.
"I think this is, as I said, a very important move by Putin," he added.
"Something much deeper" happens.
Asked why Putin was removing Shoigu as defense minister at a time when Russia appeared to have the upper hand in the war, Steele commented that it could indicate something "much deeper" was going on.
"It is hardly ideal from a military point of view to change your defense minister just as you are launching a new offensive," he explained.
"This tells me that this is about something much deeper"
Steele also described Shoigu's move to the Security Council as a "demotion," but reiterated that moving Patrushev, a member of the Russian president's inner circle, to an undisclosed position was "extraordinary.
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