Putin removes four deputy ministers of defense and appoints his cousin

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with Moscow Region Governor in Moscow on June 17, 2024. (Photo by Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP)

ALBAWABA - President Vladimir Putin has replaced four deputy defense ministers in the Russian Defense Ministry with a relative, Anna Tsivileva, in a major reorganization.

By formal decrees, the Kremlin verified the departure of officials Pavel Popov, Tatyana Shevtsova, Ruslan Tsalikov, and Nikolai Pankov.

Tsivileva, who is supposedly the daughter of Putin's cousin and the spouse of the Russian Energy Minister, assumes her new position with an emphasis on improving housing and social services for the troops.

Tsivileva oversaw a fund that supported Russia's military actions in Ukraine in the past. Former head of the Finance Ministry Leonid Gornin is taking over as first deputy defense minister, taking over from Andrei Belousov, who took over for Sergey Shoigu last month.

The Defense Ministry emphasized Gornin's goal of increasing fiscal efficiency and financial transparency.

The son of former prime minister Mikhail Fradkov, Pavel Fradkov, will oversee military property and building activities, while Oleg Saveliev will take over as deputy minister of defense.

This reform comes in the wake of Putin's abrupt May resignation of Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and is an attempt to fight corruption and maximize Russia's wartime economy to sustain front-line troops.

A massive corruption scandal inside the Russian government has implicated numerous high-ranking officials, and in April, former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested on bribery charges as part of the ongoing crackdown on corruption.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).