Mikheyev calls Shoygu honest

Sergey Shoygu, who had been the Minister for Emergencies for 18 years and Governor of the Moscow Region for half a year, has replace Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov over investigations of frauds with real estate by Oboronservice.

Sergey Mikheyev, Director General of the Center for Political Conjuncture, said that Serdyukov’s dismissal was expectable. The minister was not a military professional and was turning the Defense Ministry into a business project.

Shoygu has experience in managing militarized structures and has a reputation of an honest, non-corrupted and popular politician. The expert does not expect Shoygu to take much part in negotiations with the US on missiles and other foreign affairs.

Shoygu met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Novo-Ogaryovo today, where he was appointed as the Defense Minister. He promised to start modernization of the Armed Forces.

Vice Governor of the Moscow Region Ruslan Tsalikov is the acting Governor. Elections of the incumbent governor will be held in September 2013.