Author: Steve Brown

President Vladimir Putin’s apparent removal of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu sparked speculation in the Western media about the failure of a “special military option.” However, the appointment of economist Andrey Belousov as the new defense minister indicates a broader restructuring within Russia’s defense and security apparatus. The decision to replace Shoigu may have been influenced by recent economic scandals within Moscow’s Defense Ministry, including corruption charges against his deputy. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the need to integrate the security bloc’s economy with the country’s overall economic framework as defense spending approaches 1980s levels. Belousov is seen as a trustworthy…

Putin’s Vision for Russia’s National Development: A Closer Look Putin’s Vision for Russia’s National Development: A Closer Look Unlike in the West, where politicians tend to publish their aims if they are elected as a manifesto before the election, Putin’s Russia does so after the event by way of an Executive Order or decree. This year’s offering has the title: “On the National Development Goals of the Russian Federation until 2030 and for a Longer Term until 2036.” It replaces the 2020 version and consists of 11 paragraphs and many sub-paragraphs which lay out the President’s specific goals and targets…