Cleanings in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation: Putin released four deputy ministers and appointed a niece

More than two years after the start of the war in Ukraine, Putin, according to journalists, began cleaning in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to make it clear that he wants to get rid of waste and corruption in the ministry and more efficiently use Russia's military economy to meet the needs of soldiers at the front. During the latest changes, Putin released the Deputy Defense Minister Mykola Pankov, Ruslan Tsalikov, Tatiana Shevtsov and Pavel Popov.

The Army General Popov not only dismissed the Deputy Minister of Defense, but also dismissed from military service. He appointed Anna Tsivilov, daughter of his late cousin, Deputy Minister of Defense. Her responsibilities will include improving the social and housing support of servicemen. Earlier, Putin appointed Tsivilov the head of the State Fund for Supporting Participants in Russia in Ukraine.

Leonid Gornin, who had previously held the position of First Deputy Minister of Finance, will now hold the position of First Deputy Minister of Defense under the direction of Defense Minister Andriy Belousov, an economist without a war experience appointed last month to replace Shoig. Gornin's main tasks are to "increase the transparency of financial flows and ensure the effective spending of budget funds", said the Defense Ministry.

The Deputy Minister of Defense was also named Oleg Saveliev and Pavel Fradkov, the son of former Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. Fradkov will interrupt the management of property, land and construction related to the military. Pavel Fradkov since 2021 was the first deputy manager of the President of the Russian Federation. The Decree on Appointment in the Ministry of Defense states that Fradkov Jr. was released from a previously occupied position.

Putin also allowed to have 12 deputy minister in the Ministry of Defense (previously ten of them), including the first two. Anna Tsivileva is the daughter of Vladimir Putin's late cousin - Yevgeny Putin. In 2018, it became the owner of 70% of Kolmar, one of the largest Russian coal companies. The Russian opposition media wrote that Tsivileva received an asset from Putin's friend, businessman Gennady Tymchenko - he owned 60% of Kolmara.

After the transition under Tsivilva and her husband, the company received from the budget 11 billion rubles of direct support, as well as a preferential loan for 4 billion rubles and tax preferences. In 2023, Tsivileva headed the State Fund for Supporting War participants "Defenders of the Fatherland". It imposed sanctions of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Switzerland.

Tsivilev is married to the former Governor of the Kemerovo region Sergiy Tsivillov, who was appointed Minister of Energy in May 2024. Tsivilov became the governor of the Kemerovo region in 2018, after the fire at the Zimova Cherry shopping center, which causes 60 people. We will remind, during the purges of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on April 23 the Deputy Minister of Defense Timur Ivanov was arrested. He was accused of receiving a bribe.