Putin reassigns defense minister Shoigu in shakeup of Kremiln security team

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has removed Sergei Shoigu from his longtime position as defense minister and appointed him to lead the country’s security and defense council, a consultative body that advises the president — a major government shake-up of the Kremlin’s security team, Russian state news agencies reported Sunday.

Putin has nominated former vice prime minister Andrei Belousov as defense minister, according to a statement posted by the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, on its official Telegram channel.