According to Christopher Steele, a former agent of the British secret intelligence service MI-6, the Kremlin staff reshuffle, which Russian dictator Vladimir Putin arranged, came as a complete surprise to all Western leaders.
Why did Putin get rid of his "right-hand man" Patrushev
As the expert frankly admits, the removal of Nikolai Patrushev from the post of secretary of the Security Council of Russia is something "amazing" because he was one of the closest allies of the head of the Kremlin for many years in a row, as well as the former head of the FSB
It's important to understand that he's been one of Putin's closest allies, former head of the FSB and so on for many years... and was rated by people to be probably the second most powerful man in Russia after Putin himself, explained Christopher Steele.
He also added that most analysts long ago concluded that Patrushev is preparing his son Dmytry, the current head of the Ministry of Agriculture, for the post of president of the Russian Federation.
I think that this is, as I say, a very significant move by Putin, said the former agent of MI-6.
Why does Putin want Shoigu's resignation?
Journalists also asked Steele why the head of the Kremlin fired Shoigu from the post of defense minister at a time when Russia was finally able to achieve at least some local success on the Ukrainian front.
According to the expert, the real reason is "much deeper" than it seems to many.
It's hardly ideal from a military point of view to replace your defence minister right at the time when you're launching a new offensive. This underlines to me that there is something much deeper going on here, emphasised Christopher Steele.
He added that he considered Shoigu's transfer to the Security Council a "demotion" but also emphasised that Patrushev's transfer to an unknown position was "extraordinary".
