Putin Appoints Oleg Savelyev as Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister

May 20, 2024 Hour: 4:23 pm

The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, named on Monday the former deputy minister of Economy, Oleg Savelyev as the number two of the Ministry of Defense, according to a published decree.

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“He appointed Oleg Genrikhovich Savelyev Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – Chief of Staff of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation,” the document says.

By another decree, Yuri Sadovenko, who had worked in this position since January 2013, was relieved of this position. Both documents enter into force from the date of their signature, that is, from 20 May.

Savelyev became the new deputy director of the Ministry of Defence and head of the apparatus of the Ministry of Defence: he previously served as Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

‼️�� Putin appointed Accounts Chamber auditor Oleg Savelyev as Deputy Minister of Defense
The President also dismissed Colonel General Yu. Sadovenko from the post of Deputy Minister of Defense – Head of the Office of the Minister of Defense, which he held since January 7, 2013.
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May 20, 2024

Previously, Oleg Savelyev held the position of auditor of the Chamber of Accounts, where he was appointed in 2019 on the recommendation of the President of the Russian Federation.

Savelyev was born on 27 October 1965 in Leningrad. He graduated from the department of radiophysics at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute (now Peter the Great Polytechnic University of Saint Petersburg).

The new Deputy Minister of Defence previously worked under the leadership of the new Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Andrei Belousov, from August 2008 to April 2014 as Deputy Minister of Economic Development.

Putin surprised last week by dismissing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and replacing him with Andrei Belousov, an economist and former deputy prime minister.

It was widely felt that the measure was aimed at obtaining more value from defence spending and cleaning up the Ministry of Defence, which has been affected by a major bribery scandal.