Sergey Shoygu

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Sergey Shoygu
Сергей Шойгу
Official portrait of Sergey Shoigu with awards.jpg
Minister of Defense
Assumed office
6 November 2012
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev
Preceded by Anatoliy Serdyukov
Governor of Moscow Oblast
In office
11 May 2012 – 6 November 2012
Deputy Ruslan Tsalikov
Preceded by Boris Gromov
Succeeded by Ruslan Tsalikov (Acting)
Leader of United Russia
In office
1 December 2001 – 15 April 2005
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Boris Gryzlov
Minister of Emergency Situations
In office
17 April 1991 – 11 May 2012
Prime Minister Boris Yeltsin
Yegor Gaidar (Acting)
Viktor Chernomyrdin
Sergey Kiriyenko
Viktor Chernomyrdin (Acting)
Yevgeny Primakov
Sergei Stepashin
Vladimir Putin
Mikhail Kasyanov
Viktor Khristenko (Acting)
Mikhail Fradkov
Viktor Zubkov
Vladimir Putin
Viktor Zubkov (Acting)
Dmitry Medvedev
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Vladimir Puchkov
Personal details
Born Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shoygu
(1955-05-21) 21 May 1955 (age 68)
Chadan, Soviet Union
(now Russia)
Political party Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Before 1991)
Independent (1991–1995)
Our Home-Russia (1995–1999)
Unity (1999–2001)
United Russia (2001–present)
Spouse(s) Irina Shoygu
Children Yuliya
Kseniya
Alma mater Krasnoyarsk Polytechnical Institute
Awards Hero of the Russian Federation medal.png
St.AndrewOrder.png (with swords)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance  Soviet Union
 Russia
Service/branch Military Council of the Civil Defence Troops
Years of service 1991–present
Rank General of the Army

Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shoygu (Russian: Серге́й Кужуге́тович Шойгу́, Tuvan: Сергей Күжүгет оглу Шойгу; born 21 May 1955) is a Russian politician who has served in the government of Russia as Minister of Defence since 2012. Previously he was Minister of Emergency Situations from 1991 to 2012 and briefly served as Governor of Moscow Oblast in 2012. He holds the military rank of General of the Army. He is also the President of the International Sport Federation of Firefighters and Rescuers.[1]

Early life and education

Shoygu was born in Chadan, Tuva, to a Tuvan father and a Russian mother.[2] During his youth, he acquired the nickname Shaitan (Satan), due to the various stunts he engaged in.[3] In 1977, Shoygu graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute with a degree in civil engineering. Following graduation in 1977, he worked in the construction projects worldwide for the next decade, advancing from low levels to become an executive. In 1988 he became a minor functionary in the Abakan branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and then in Komsomol for a couple of years. In 1990 he moved to Moscow from Siberia and was appointed Deputy Chief of State Architecture and Construction Committee of the Russian Federation.[4]

Ministry of Emergency Situations

In 1991, he was appointed the head of Rescuer Corps, which was later given more responsibilities and renamed first to the State Committee on Emergencies, and eventually to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, making Shoygu a government minister. He became popular because of his hands-on management style and high visibility during emergency situations, such as floods, earthquakes and acts of terrorism. In 1999 he became one of the leaders of the Russian pro-government party Unity. He was awarded Russia's most prestigious state award – Hero of the Russian Federation – in 1999.

Governor of Moscow Oblast

In March 2012, he was announced as one of the potential candidates for the Governor of Moscow Oblast.[5][6] On 5 April 2012, he was elected by Moscow Oblast Duma (legislature) as the 3rd Governor of Moscow Oblast, and took office on 11 May 2012.[7]

Minister of Defence

General Shoygu on the Victory Day parade. May 9, 2014
Minister of Defence Sergey Shoygu with President Vladimir Putin in the Sevastopol Presidential Cadet School. August 19, 2015

On 6 November 2012, Shoygu was appointed Minister of Defence[8] when Putin ousted his longtime ally, Anatoly Serdyukov. According to expert Sergey Smirnov, the so-called "Petersburg group” siloviki of Sergei Ivanov, Sergey Chemezov and Viktor Ivanov wanted one of its associates to take Serdyukov’s place at the Defense Ministry. But Putin didn’t want to strengthen them, so he took the neutral figure Shoygu.[9]

On 7 November 2012, the minister decided to resurrect the tradition of Suvorov and Nakhimov cadets participating in the 9 May parade. On July 2013 Shoygu ordered commanders to begin every morning in the barracks with a rendition of the Russian Anthem, to compile an obligatory military-patriotic book reading list and take the preparation of demob albums under their control.[10] On August that year he ordered to dress all Defense Ministry civilian workers, other staff and management employees in so-called "office suits".[11]

Shoygu stated on 26 February 2014 that Russia planned to sign agreements with Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Seychelles, Singapore and several other countries either to house permanent military bases and/or to house airplane refuel stations in those countries.[12]

In July 2014 Ukraine opened a criminal case against Shoygu; he was accused of helping to form “illegal military groups” in Eastern Ukraine who at the time fought against the Ukrainian army.[13]

Personal life

Sergey Shoygu is married to Irina Shoygu, and has two daughters (Yuliya, born 1977, and Kseniya, born 1991).[4] In his spare time, Shoygu enjoys sports such as football, horseback riding, and enjoys music of Vanessa Mae and The Ramones. He speaks nine languages,[citation needed] including English, Japanese, Chinese, and Turkish. He also has the largest collection of ancient samurai swords in Russia, worth over $40 million.

Shoygu with Vladimir Putin and Prince Albert in Tuva, 2007

Russian scientist Viktor Petrik attempted to use Shoygu's name to market his water filters. Shoygu has requested that Petrik cease using his name to market products.[14]

On 16 May 2011, Shoygu fired his personal driver because of the driver's threat to shoot a motorist made during a row on the Moscow Ring Road.[15]

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "General information about Federation"
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Shoigu Tipped as Next Moscow Region Governor, The Moscow Times.
  6. ↑ Emergencies Minister shortlisted for Moscow region governance, Russia Today.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Golts on Shoygu’s Tenure (Part II), September 2014, Russian Defense Policy Blog.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Inventor in Hot Water Over Use of Shoigu's Name Alexander Bratersky, Moscow Times. 15 February 2010.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Political offices
Preceded by
Position established
 Ministry of Emergency Situations
1991–2012		 Succeeded by
Vladimir Puchkov
Preceded by Governor of Moscow Oblast
2012		 Succeeded by
Ruslan Tsalikov
Acting
Preceded by Minister of Defence
2012–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
New office Leader of United Russia
2001–2005		 Succeeded by
Boris Gryzlov
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