Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Andrei Bolija, a Deputy Minister of Defense since last year, as Deputy Secretary of the country's Security Council. Bolija, who holds the rank of Lieutenant General in the Russian army, took up the post in March 2024 and was responsible for logistical support. In another decree, Putin appointed Colonel General Alexander Sanchik, commander of the Southern Military District, as Deputy Minister of Defense, succeeding Bolija. These appointments come amid a series of corruption scandals that began in April 2024, during which more than 10 people, including three former Deputy Ministers of Defense, were arrested on charges of embezzlement and receiving bribes.
