Putin seeking to reduce Shoigu's power and punishes him for failing to accomplish Kremlin’s military goals – ISW

Russian leader Vladimir Putin may be seeking to reduce Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s power and likely punishes him for failing to accomplish Kremlin’s military goals.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said this in its latest report, according to Ukrinform.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Tula Oblast Governor and known Wagner Group-affiliate Alexei Dyumin on May 2, further indicating that Putin may be seeking to reduce Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's power by balancing him with rivals,” the report says.

As noted, Putin likely deliberately publicized his meeting with Dyumin following the high-profile arrest of Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov on April 24 and before the presidential inauguration on May 7, possibly to punish the Shoigu-led MoD for failing to accomplish the Kremlin’s military goals.

“The Putin-Dyumin meeting generated a significant amount of discourse within the Russian information space, with numerous milbloggers and political commentators pointing out that the meeting occurred between Ivanov’s arrest and the expected government reshuffle following the inauguration,” the report says.

In addition, Russian insider sources speculated that the Kremlin may appoint Dyumin to a new role involving the Russian DIB, such as deputy chairman of the Russian Military Industrial Commission

As Ukrinform reported, Russia’s First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov was interrogated in connection with Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov’s case.