Vladimir Putin BERATES Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Gives Him 'One Month' Ultimatum To 'Sort Out' Russia's Military Failings
Jan. 12 2023, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Vladimir Putin let loose on his deputy prime minister this week during a contentious conference discussing the ongoing war in Ukraine, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The shocking exchange reportedly took place on Wednesday as the 70-year-old Russian leader met with top Kremlin officials via video.
According to Daily Star, Putin targeted one Russian politician in particular – Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov – after it was revealed Manturov failed to procure military and civilian planes for Russia to use against Ukraine.
“There are no contracts. What are you going to tell me?" Putin fumed in the startling video. “I know there are no contracts at the companies, the directors told me.”
“Why are you really fooling around?” the Russian strongman continued. "This all must be done within a month, I am asking you, within a month… Don't we understand in what conditions we're living?”
Manturov, who recently returned from Turkey after failing to procure any aircraft contracts, reportedly bowed his head as Putin berated him in front of the other top Kremlin officials on the call.
Putin’s tense video conference this week also came as the Russian leader dramatically shook up his military command structure once again as his forces continue to struggle against Ukraine.
General Sergei Surovikin, who previously served as war commander, was ordered to serve under Chief of General Staff General Valery Gerasimov in controlling Russia’s armed forces from the water.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has faced harsh criticism for Russia’s failures in Ukraine, also announced a series of changes to Putin’s top military leadership.
"The increase in the level of leadership of the special operation is linked to the expansion of the scale of the tasks at hand and the need for closer interaction between troops,” said Shoigu.
Generals Oleg Salyukov and Alexei Kim, two other Putin loyalists, were also promoted to oversee Russia’s forces in Ukraine.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Putin’s latest shakeup also comes amid rumors he has lost control of his mercenary chief – Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In a surprising move made earlier this week, Putin was forced to publicly contradict Prigozhin’s claims that he and his crew of Russian mercenaries successfully captured a key Ukrainian territory “with no other help.”
Although Prigozhin indicated the Ukrainian town of Soledar had been captured, the Kremlin released a statement indicating otherwise.
“Assault squads are [still] fighting in the city,” the Kremlin said before adding that Russian forces had “blocked Soledar from the northern and southern areas of the city” and the Russian air force is still in the process of striking “enemy strongholds.”