On the same day he met with defense industry leaders, President Putin held a meeting with commanders of the Russian military districts. He affirmed that the objectives of the General Staff’s plan for the special military operation are being met, with enemy counterattacks repelled and steady troop advances across all theaters.
Putin announced that Sergey Shoigu will become the Security Council Secretary, overseeing military and law enforcement matters. He also tasked Andrey Belousov with controlling defense expenditures, which are projected to be about 8.7% of the total budget in 2024. “This is less than the 13% the Soviet Union spent,” said Putin, “but it is still a considerable sum and a major resource, which we should use sparingly yet effectively.”
