ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/AFP
ANALYSIS – The career politician was highly contested by the Russian army since the start of the invasion.
Moscow
From Moscow to Western capitals, there are many Russia observers and other “Kremlinologists” who try to predict Vladimir Putin’s decisions. The latter once again proved that it was almost impossible, taking everyone by surprise once again. This time, it is more the temporality of the presidential ukase which surprises. Because the dismissal of Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Defense for twelve years, is not a surprise in itself. The career politician, who had not planned to find himself on February 24, 2022 propelled to the head of a structure responsible for invading his Ukrainian neighbor, was highly contested by the bodies of the Russian army since the start of the ‘invasion.
The failure of the “blitzkrieg” envisaged by Moscow, the inability to obtain a lightning victory, in fact mechanically fell on him, even if he was not directly in charge of the operations. Unpopular within ultrapatriotic circles as well, Shoigu became…
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