Sergey Shoygu

Early life and education

Shoygu was born on 21 May 1955 in Chadan, Tuva, to a Tuvan father and a Russian mother.

He graduated School No. 1 of Kyzyl city in Tyva Republic.

In 1977, Shoygu graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute with a degree in civil engineering. Following graduation in 1977, Shoygu worked in the construction projects nationwide for the next decade, advancing from low levels to become an executive. In 1988, Shoygu became a minor functionary in the Abakan branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and then in Komsomol for a few years. In 1990, Shoygu moved to Moscow from Siberia, and was appointed Deputy Chief of State Architecture and Construction Committee of the Russian Federation.

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. 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.

Minister of Defence

On 6 November 2012, Shoygu was appointed Minister of Defence 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.

On 7 November 2012, the minister decided to resurrect the tradition of Suvorov and Nakhimov cadets participating in the 9 May parade. In 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. In August that year he ordered to dress all Defense Ministry civilian workers, other staff and management employees in so-called "office suits".

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.

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.

At the initiative of Shoygu, Arctic units were created, intended to ensure the safety of Russia's Arctic region.

On 30 September 2015, Russia conducted a military operation in Syria. The operation was carried out by forces created by 1 August 2015 the Space Forces, with the support of the Russian Navy. 7 October 2015 President Vladimir Putin, during which took place in Sochi working meeting with Shoygu, summing up the first week of operation, once again gave a high appreciation of the work of the Ministry of Defense: as the Ministry of actions in general, and combat operations conducted by the Russian pilots of ballpen in Syria Air Group, which applied with air strikes against predetermined objectives, and seamen of the Caspian Flotilla, which carried out the firing cruise missiles 3M-54 Klub of the Caspian Sea and successfully struck all the targets set.

Family

Father — Kuzhuget Sergeyevich Shoygu (1921–2010) (born Shoygu Seree oglu Kuzhuget), editor of the regional newspaper, later worked in the Party and Soviet authorities, was the secretary of the Tuva Party Committee and retired the first deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Tuva ASSR. Also he led the Tuvan State Archives and spent six years editor of the newspaper Pravda, wrote the novel "Time and People", "Feather black vulture" (2001), "Tannu Tuva: the country of lakes and blue rivers" (2004).

Mother — Alexandra Yakovlevna Shoygu (née Kudryavtseva) (1924–2011). Born in the village of Yakovlev in the Oryol Oblast. From there, shortly before the war, her family moved to Kadievka (now Stakhanov) in the Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. Zootechnician, Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Tuva, until 1979 - Head of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic, has repeatedly elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet (parliament) of the Tuva ASSR.

Sisters — Larisa Kuzhugetovna Shoygu (1953) (deputy of the State Duma) and Irina Zakharova (1960) (psychiatrist).

Wife — Irina Alexandrovna Shoygu (née Antipina). President of the business tourism company Expo-EM.

Daughters — Yuliya (1977) and Kseniya (1991).

Awards