After the Inauguration of Vladimir Putin to his fifth term as President of the Russian Federation, all Presidential Appointees tendered their resignations as is required under Russian law. President Putin took this opportunity to appoint a new Defense Minister Andrey Belousov.
Andrey Removich Belousov, born 17 March 1959 is a Russian economist and politician, who will begin serving as the Minister of Defense on May 14, 2024.
Belousov previously served as Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from January 2020 to May 2024. Previously, he was an Economic Assistant to the President of Russia and Minister of Economic Development.
Belousov, is a practicing Orthodox Christian. He has personally donated to and built a monastery in the Vladimir Oblast: “Russia must become the guardian of the traditions of Christian civilization. The era of globalism is over”
He studied economics at Moscow State University and graduated with honors in 1981.
Career
From 1981 to 1986, Belousov was probationer-researcher and then junior researcher in the simulation laboratory of human-machine systems of the Central Economic Mathematical Institute. From 1991 to 2006, he was head of laboratory in the Institute of Economic Forecasting in the Russian Academy of Science. He was external advisor to prime minister from 2000 to 2006.
Federal civil servant (2006-2013)
Belousov served as deputy minister of economic development and trade for two years from 2006 to 2008.
From 2008 to 2012, he was director of the finances and economic department in the Russian Prime Minister's office.
Belousov has the federal state civilian service rank of 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation.
On 21 May 2012, he was appointed minister of economic development to the cabinet led by prime minister Dimitri Medvedev. Belousov succeeded Elvira Nabiullina as minister of economic development.
Presidential civil servant (2013-2020)
On 24 June 2013, he was appointed as Putin's Presidential Assistant in Economic Affairs.
First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia (2020-2024)
On 21 January 2020, Belousov was appointed as First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia in Mikhail Mishustin's Cabinet. From 30 April to 19 May 2020, Belousov was appointed by Vladimir Putin as Acting Prime Minister of Russia, temporarily replacing Mikhail Mishustin, after the latter was diagnosed with coronavirus. According to Politico, he is one possible successor to Putin.
In 2022, the European Union imposed sanctions on Belousov in relation to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, followed by the United States, Japan, and New Zealand.
