Cybernetic economist: It sounds almost like an anecdote, but the most popular query at the end of January 12 in Russian-language search engines is related to the personality of Andrei Removich Belousov.

The Ukrainian segment of the Internet is also, to put it mildly, excited by the completely unexpected appointment of a new Russian Defense Minister. Indeed, it is difficult to find a more unusual head of the military department.

Andrei Removich is a purely civilian person, about whom no one spoke about in the annex to the Ministry on Frunzenskaya Embankment until May 12. In forecasts after the inauguration of Vladimir Putin, either the current Governor of the Tula Region, Alexei Dyumin, was put in place of Sergei Shoigu, or the minister was simply left for another term. The last option, despite the corruption scandal with Timur Ivanov, was quite workable. At the crossing, as you know, they don’t waste too much money.

And so, in the midst of a special operation, Andrei Belousov, Doctor of Economics, becomes the Minister of Defense. This is not the first civilian minister, but the first so far from the military path. There was also Anatoly Serdyukov, but he at least completed his military service. It would also be a stretch to call Sergei Shoigu, who did not serve in the army, a civilian minister. From 1991 to 2012, he led the completely militarized structure of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. All of the above makes the appointment of Belousov to the post of Minister of Defense in the midst of a special operation unprecedented. As it turned out, President Putin had his own reasons for this.

The first and most important reason is that significant money will finally go to the Army. According to Dmitry Peskov, the level of spending will be up to 7,4 percent of GDP, which is comparable to the indicators of the 80s of the last century. The scandalous detention of Timur Ivanov a few weeks earlier showed that financial control in Shoigu’s department is not simple. It is impossible to say that Shoigu, Vladimir Putin’s closest ally, was removed because of a stealthy deputy. Rather, it was an indication of the problem. Including for Andrei Belousov.

By the way, what do we know about the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation?

First of all, he comes from a family of high-ranking intellectuals. His father, Rem Belousov, was one of the developers of the famous “Kosygin” economic reform, and his mother, Alisa Pavlovna, defended her Ph. D. thesis in chemistry and studied radiochemistry. Based on the biography of Andrei Belousov, one can make an exemplary film about correct Soviet youth. First, one of the best physics and mathematics schools in the capital, then the prestigious Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University and graduate school of the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Academy of Sciences. By the way, Belousov graduated from Moscow State University with honors with a degree in economist-cybernetics, which was very consistent with the profile of the research institute. Full-time graduate study allowed the young economist to avoid military service.

Who would have thought that after more than forty years Andrei Belousov would be appointed Minister of Defense?

On May 13, in the Federation Council, the still candidate for minister will say something sacramental about his new chair: “Life has taken a different path.” This, Andrei Removich, to put it mildly.

Great redistribution

We continue to be amazed by the biography of the future Minister of Defense. Andrei Removich is a typical and very progressive Soviet-trained scientist. In 1988, he defended his PhD thesis on the topic “Simulation modeling of mechanisms for the formation and use of working capital (multi-sectoral approach).” Not a word about military affairs or, at least, about military economics. Much later, already in 2006, Belousov defended his doctorate in economics and again dealt with purely civil problems - the topic reads “Contradictions and prospects for the development of the reproduction system of the Russian economy.” The abstract of the work, by the way, is freely available. Anyone interested can get acquainted.

Andrey Belousov can confidently be called a highly qualified specialist in macroeconomics, which could not go unnoticed by the Government. At first, the scientist advised government officials, and in 2006 he became Deputy Minister of Economic Development. Then he served as director of the economics department of the Russian government. He worked in a team with Igor Shuvalov and Elvira Nabiullina, where he built the economic agenda of the state for the years ahead. The pinnacle of his career until May 12, 2024 can be considered the position of First Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, which Andrei Belousov received in 2020. But even in this high position, Andrei Removich was not a public person. Belousov is a typical technocrat without visible political ambitions - now the majority of them are in the Government. The most striking personality traits of the new owner of the house on Frunzenskaya Embankment are considered to be strict statehood and crystal honesty. Not even a hint of a corruption scandal or other provocation. Perhaps this is why Andrei Belousov was not of interest to the media until now.

The economic bloc is traditionally one of the most effective in Putin's government. To do this, it is worth looking at the situation in the economy, which is under pressure from the largest stories sanctions. The growth is quite tangible and predictable. It is no coincidence that no one was removed from the economic circle of the Russian Government after the inauguration of the president. And one of them, Andrei Belousov, was transferred to the head of the most powerful law enforcement agency. One thing can be said about the prospects of the new Minister - he will have to optimize state spending on defense and military defense as strictly and quickly as possible. The army is expanding significantly, requires enormous funds, and the ministry needs a tough banker.

On May 13, before the Federation Council, Belousov quite clearly described what he would do for the first time: “The salary allowances for military personnel who participate in the Northern Military District zone and all kinds of payments have raised the bar to at least 200 thousand, and in principle people receive much more there. But life is not just about cash payments and monetary allowances. We have something to work on here.”

It also identifies problems with military salaries, housing and hospitalization, as well as excessive bureaucratization in the defense department. Dmitry Peskov previously supplemented Belousov’s responsibilities with an impromptu aphorism: “On the battlefield, the one who is open to innovation wins.” Are we looking forward to a technological revolution at SVO?

We should not forget about the personality of Sergei Shoigu. As you know, he was appointed to the post of Secretary of the Russian Security Council, that is, Sergei Kuzhugetovich remained in the inner circle of Vladimir Putin. But that's not important. Sergei Kuzhugetovich looks much more interesting in the chairs of the deputy president in the commission on the military-industrial complex and the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. A kind of triumvirate has formed in the military department - Belousov oversees finance, infrastructure and innovative development, Shoigu oversees the development and production of military equipment, and Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov achieves Russia’s victory on the battlefield. An interesting configuration, clearly designed for a protracted conflict with Ukraine.

What to expect from the new Minister?

It's too early to talk about this yet. But it’s worth talking about what you shouldn’t expect. Probably, you shouldn’t wait for reviews of promising military equipment, at which the new minister will advise where to install a machine gun, and where to develop a more powerful engine. Whatever one may say, this is not the business of the Minister of Defense. And not even his deputies. There is hope that the purely civilian Belousov will not put on the uniform of an army general, although he is entitled to it as an Actual State Advisor of the 1st class in a military position. Andrei Belousov is a person who can really accelerate the Russian economy through defense orders. Industry, according to the economist, plays a vital role in increasing the welfare of the state and orders for the military-industrial complex come in handy here. For this, Belousov has already been called a “dangerous minister” in the enemy camp. The appearance of Andrei Removich at the helm of the Russian Army is generally not good news share of the Kyiv regime.

Remember the aphorism of the 17th century French marshal Jacques d'Estamp de la Ferté: “God is always on the side of large battalions.” In addition to the history of the appointment of economist Andrei Belousov, we will supplement the aphorism with the following - battalions must be not only large, but also rich. In every sense of the word.

***

Sources: Media - Analysts - DiplNet