Who is Andrey Belousov, Putin's nominee for defense minister?

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a change in the defense minister's post on Sunday, appointing Sergey Shoygu, who had held the position since 2012, as the new secretary of Russia’s Security Council and nominating Andrey Belousov to succeed him.

Belousov served as first deputy prime minister in the previous Cabinet, overseeing Russia's economic development.

He was born on March 17, 1959 in Moscow into the family of Ram Belousov, a Soviet scholar-economist who played a role in the economic reform of the 1960s.

In 1981, he graduated with honors from Russia's renowned Moscow State University with a degree in economics and cybernetics, earning a doctorate in economics in 2006.

From 1981 to 2000, Belousov focused on scientific research, holding various positions at state research institutions. In 2000, he became the general director of the Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-term Forecasting, which served the state's practical needs.

Simultaneously, he served as a freelance adviser to the head of the Russian government and collaborated with the Center for Strategic Research on Russia's development program until 2010.

From 2006 to 2008, he was the deputy minister of economic development and trade, followed by heading the Department of Economics and Finance in the Cabinet of Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008-2012.

From 2012 to 2013, Belousov served as the minister of economic development, and then represented Russia as a governor at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and as deputy governor at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

From 2013 to 2015, he worked at the presidential administration as Putin's adviser for economic issues.

In 2020, Belousov was appointed as first deputy prime minister, serving until May 7, when the government automatically resigned following the presidential inauguration.

During Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's treatment for a coronavirus infection from April 30 to May 19, 2020, Belousov performed the duties of the head of the government.

Belousov is married for the second time to journalist Larisa Avdeyeva and has a son named Pavel from his previous marriage.

He has never served in the army and has no known connections with the military domain.

Commenting on Belousov’s lack of military experience, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a civilian official will assume the post of the head of the Ministry of Defense due to the need to introduce innovations in its work, and he will facilitate the integration of the defense and civilian parts of the Russian economy.