Berlin | President Vladimir Putin of Russia replaced his minister of defence on Sunday (Monday AEST) with an economist, shaking up his national security team for the first time since his invasion of Ukraine and signalling his determination to put Russia’s war effort on an economically sustainable footing.

Mr Putin kept the minister, Sergei Shoigu, in his inner circle, tapping him to run the country’s security council – a position giving Mr Shoigu close access to the president but little direct authority. He will replace Nikolai Patrushev, a former KGB colleague of Mr Putin, whom the Kremlin said would be moved to a position to be announced in the coming days.