Ministry of Defence (Russia)

History

The U.S. Library of Congress Country Studies' volume for Russia said in July 1996 that:

On 18 May 1992, [President of Russia Boris Yeltsin appointed General of the Army Pavel Grachev to the post of Minister of Defence. Despite intense criticism of Grachev's management of the First Chechen War and the Russian military establishment in general, Yeltsin retained Grachev till 18 June 1996. The new minister of defence became General of the Army Igor Rodionov, who subsequently was substituted by Marshal of the Russian Federation Igor Sergeyev.

In March 2001, Sergei Ivanov, previously secretary of the Security Council of Russia, was appointed defence minister by President Vladimir Putin, becoming Russia's first non-uniformed civilian defence minister. Putin called the personnel changes in Russia's security structures coinciding with Ivanov's appointment as defence minister "a step toward demilitarizing public life." Putin also stressed Ivanov's responsibility for overseeing military reform as defence minister. What Putin did not emphasise was Ivanov's long service within the KGB and FSB and his then rank of General-Lieutenant within the FSB. Such military and security agency-associated men are known as siloviki.

As of 2002, there were four living Marshals of the Soviet Union. Such men are automatically Advisors to the Defence Minister. The Marshals alive at that time were Viktor Kulikov, Vasily Petrov, Sergei Sokolov, a former Minister of Defence of the Soviet Union, and Dmitri Yazov. Yazov was listed by the American analysts Scott and Scott in 2002 as a consultant to the (formerly 10th) Directorate for International Military Cooperation.

Perhaps the first 'real' non-uniformed Defence Minister was Anatoly Serdyukov, appointed in February 2007. Serdyukov was a former Tax Minister with little siloviki or military associations beyond his two years of military service. Serdyukov launched the military reform in 2008.

On 19 August 2010, Serdyukov appointed Tatyana Shevtsova as his deputy. As of that date, more than 50 women had been appointed by Serdyukov, and mainly in the tax accountant profession.

In 2012, he was substituted by General of the Army Sergey Shoigu, who held at that moment the position of the Minister of Civil Defence, Emergency Situations and Disaster Relief.

In May 2024 simultaneous with the Fifth inauguration of Vladimir Putin on the 14th, Sergey Shoigu was released from duty and several of his staff were investigated for corruption or other misdeeds: Yuri Vasilievich Kuznetsov, Timur Ivanov, Ruslan Tsalikov, as well as Vadim Shamarin, Ivan Ivanovich Popov, Vladimir Verteletsky, and Sukhrab Akhmedov.

On 17 June 2024, it was noted that four deputy defence ministers, Nikolay Pankov, Ruslan Tsalikov, Tatiana Shevtsova and Pavel Popov, had been sacked for nepotism that had entered the Ministry. Russian energy minister Sergey Tsivilyov's wife, Anna Tsivileva, the daughter of a cousin of the President, was appointed deputy defence minister. Her responsibilities include improving social and housing support for military personnel. Leonid Gornin, previously the first deputy finance minister, was appointed as the first deputy defence minister. Other personnel changes included Oleg Savelyev and the son of former Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. Pavel Fradkov would oversee the management of property, land and construction relating to the military. Other reports had Tsivileva as Putin's niece.

On 18 July it was revealed that Lt Gen Shamarin had been formally dismissed from his post because he had accepted bribes from a supplier. He had been serving as deputy chief of the army’s general staff overseeing the signals corps and military communications.

On 24 July the Deputy Chief of the Satellite Communications Center for Strategic Nuclear Missile Forces Andrei Torgashev was apparently victimized at his residence by a car bomb.

Structure

The Ministry of Defence is managed by a collegium chaired by the Defence Minister and including the deputy Defence Ministers, heads of the Main Defence Ministry and General Staff Directorates, the commanders of the Joint Strategic Commands/Military Districts, the three Services, and three branches, who together form the principal staff and advisory board of the Minister of Defence.

The executive body of the Ministry of Defence is the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which is headed by the Chief of the General Staff. U.S. expert William Odom said in 1998 that "the Soviet General Staff without the MoD is conceivable, but the MoD without the General Staff is not." Russian General Staff officers exercise command authority in their own right. In 1996 the General Staff included fifteen main directorates and an undetermined number of operating agencies. The staff is organized by functions, with each directorate and operating agency overseeing a functional area, generally indicated by the organization's title.

Military Thought is the military-theoretical journal of the Ministry of Defence, and Krasnaya Zvezda is its daily newspaper.

Structure in 2025

Senior staff in 2025 included:

;Minister of Defence:

• Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Andrey Belousov (since 14 May 2024)

;First Deputy Minister(s) of Defence:

• Chief of the General Staff – First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – General of the Army Valery Gerasimov (since 9 November 2012)
• First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Leonid Gornin (since 17 June 2024) ;Deputy Minister(s) of Defence:
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Material-Technical and Logistical Support of the Russian Armed Forces) – Colonel General Aleksandr Sanchik (since 8 November 2025)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Financial Support for the Armed Forces) – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Anna Tsivilyova (since 17 June 2024)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – Supervisor of the Apparatus of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Oleg Savelyev (since 20 May 2024)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for the Development of the Technical Basis for the Management System and Information Technology) – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Pavel Fradkov (since 17 June 2024)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising International Military and Military-Technical Cooperation) – Colonel General Alexander Fomin (since 31 January 2017)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Military-Technical Support for the Armed Forces) – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Alexey Krivoruchko (since 13 June 2018)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Combat Training) – Army general Yunus-bek Yevkurov (since 8 July 2019)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – Chief of the Main Directorate for Political-Military Affairs of the Russian Armed Forces – Army general Viktor Goremykin (since 28 July 2022)

Structure in 2021

Senior staff in 2021 included:

;Minister of Defence:

• Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – General of the Army Sergei Shoigu (since 6 November 2012)

;First Deputy Minister(s) of Defence:

• Chief of the General Staff – First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – General of the Army Valery Gerasimov (since 9 November 2012)
• First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Ruslan Tsalikov (since 24 December 2015)

;Deputy Minister(s) of Defence:

• State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation and General of the Army of reserve Nikolay Pankov (since 13 September 2005)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Material-Technical Support for the Armed Forces) – Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev (since 24 September 2022)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Financial Support for the Armed Forces) – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Tatiana Shevtsova (since 4 August 2010)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – Supervisor of the Apparatus of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation – Colonel General Yuriy Sadovenko (since 7 January 2013)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for the Development of the Technical Basis for the Management System and Information Technology) – General of the Army Pavel Popov (since 7 November 2013)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Property Management, Quartering of Troops (Forces), Housing, and Medical Support for the Armed Forces) – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Timur Ivanov (since 23 May 2016)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising International Military and Military-Technical Cooperation) – Colonel General Alexander Fomin (since 31 January 2017)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Organising Military-Technical Support for the Armed Forces) – 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation Alexey Krivoruchko (since 13 June 2018)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (Responsible for Combat Training) – Colonel General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov (since 8 July 2019)
• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation – Chief of the Main Directorate for Political-Military Affairs of the Russian Armed Forces – Colonel general Viktor Goremykin (since 28 July 2022)

Organization in 2012

Entities directly subordinated to the Minister of Defence in August 2012 included:

• MOD Press Service and Information Directorate
• MOD Physical Training Directorate
• MOD Financial Auditing Inspectorate
• MOD Main Military Medical Directorate
• MOD State Order Placement Department
• MOD Property Relations Department
• Expert Center of the MOD Staff
• MOD Administration Directorate
• MOD State Defence Order Facilitation Department
• MOD Department of the State Customer for Capital Construction
• MOD State Architectural-Construction Oversight Department
• MOD Sanatoria-resort Support Department
• MOD Housekeeping Directorate
• MOD State Review/Study Group
• MOD Educational Department
• MOD Legal Department
• MOD Organizational-inspection Department
• MOD Personnel Inspectorate
• MOD Military Inspectorate
• MOD State Technical Oversight Directorate
• MOD Aviation Flight Safety Service
• MOD Nuclear and Radiation Safety Oversight Directorate
• MOD Autotransport Directorate
• MOD Staff Protocol Department
• MOD Armed Force Weapons Turnover Oversight Service
• MOD Main Military Police Directorate

The Office of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defence was established in 2008, consisting of around thirty retired senior officers. The main task of the office is "to promote the organization of combat and operational training of troops, the construction and further development of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the development of the theory and history of military art, and the education of personnel." It is the successor to the Soviet Armed Forces's Group of Inspectors General, which was dissolved in 1992.

Outline structure 2004

An outline structure of the Ministry of Defence includes the groupings below, but this structure was in transition when it was recorded in 2004, with several deputy minister posts being abolished:

• Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation
• Federal Service for the Defence Order
• Federal Service for Technical and Export Control
• Federal Special Construction Agency of the MOD
• 11th Directorate of the MOD (function unclear)
• 12th Main Directorate of the MOD (nuclear weapons)
• 16th Directorate of the MOD (function unclear)
• Hydrometeorological Service of the Armed Forces
• Military Inspectorate
• Directorate of Information and Public Relations
• 1st Separate Brigade of Protection of the MOD
• Archives of the Armed Forces (see also Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defence)
• State Corporation for Air Traffic Control
• Central Theater of the Russian Army
• All-Russian Centre for Retraining Officers
• General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
  • Directorates, departments, etc.
  • Russian Ground Forces
  • Russian Air Force
  • Russian Navy
  • Strategic Rocket Forces
  • Russian Airborne Troops
  • Russian Space Forces
• First Deputy Minister of Defence
  • Main Directorate for Combat Training of the Armed Forces
  • Directorate of Force Management and Security of Military Service
• Army General Nikolay Pankov, State Secretary – Deputy Min. of Defence
  • Liaison with Political Power Institutions
  • [Main] Directorate for Indoctrination [Political Work, Morale]
  • [Main] Directorate for International Military Cooperation
  • Directorate for Military Education of the Ministry of Defence
  • Directorate of Foreign Relations
  • Directorate of Force Management & Security of Military Service
  • Directorate of Ecology & Special Means of Protection Min Def RF
  • Press Service of the Ministry of Defence
  • Flight Safety Service of Aviation of the Armed Forces RF
• Deputy Minister of Defence – Chief of Rear of the Armed Forces
  • Military medical, trade, transportation, food, clothing, etc.
• Deputy Minister of Defence – Chief of Armaments of the Armed Forces
  • Test ranges, study centres, Military research institutes etc.
  • GRAU
  • Main Automotive-Armoured Tank Directorate of the MOD (GABTU)
  • Autobase of Ministry of Defence
  • Military Registry
  • Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rosoboronexport
  • Military Industrial Council
• Deputy Minister of Defence – Chief of Construction and Billeting Service
  • Main Military Construction Directorate
  • Main Quarters Exploitation Directorate
  • other Directorates, departments etc.
• Lyubov Kudelina , Deputy Minister of Defence for Financial-Economic Work
  • Financial-Economic Section of the MOD
  • Directorate of Military-Economic Analysis and Expertise
  • Financial Inspectorate of the MOD
  • Federation of Trade Unions for Civilian Workers of the Armed Forces
• Deputy Minister of Defence – Chief of the Main Department of Cadres [personnel]
  • military schools, military academies, etc.

References

References

1. RF MOS website www.mil.ru accessed 9 August 2012.
2. [http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/9446/page/3 Федеральный закон от 31 мая 1996 г. № 61-ФЗ «Об обороне»] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-08-19 See Article 13, §§ 1, 2.)
3. [[Library of Congress Country Studies]] Russia, [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ru0194) Command Structure] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-09-21)
4. Peter Finn, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501526_pf.html Russian Leader Expands Powers of a Possible Successor] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-10-18 , [[Washington Post]], 16 February 2007.)
5. Harriet F. Scott and William Scott, Russian Military Directory 2002, p. 341, citing DS2002-0802.
6. "Tax Officials Invade Russia's Defense Ministry".
7. (14 May 2024). "Putin begins defense ministry purge amid nuclear secrets leak rumor".
8. (23 May 2024). "Kremlin denies they are purging military generals as another is arrested | DW News".
9. (23 May 2024). "Deputy Russian military chief of staff jailed for bribery in latest arrest of high defense official".
10. "2 more Russian officials arrested in widening military corruption probe".
11. (24 May 2024). "Russia fires general who lined up troops ahead of deadly HIMARS strike".
12. "Putin extends defence ministry purge, hands job to a relative".
13. "Putin makes cousin's daughter deputy defence minister".
14. "Putin sacks four Russian deputy defence ministers, appoints his niece".
15. "Top Russian general fired amid bribery allegations".
16. "Turkish Police Arrest Man Suspected of Organizing Bomb Attack in Moscow".
17. (1998). "The Collapse of the Soviet Military". [[Yale University Press]].
18. RF MOD website www.mil.ru accessed 18 August 2019.
19. Misyura, Vyacheslav. (12 February 2018). "Управлению генеральных инспекторов Минобороны России — 60 лет!". Russian Ministry of Defence.
20. H.F. Scott & William F. Scott, Russian Military Directory 2004, pp. 61–82, 97–116.
21. [http://www.mil.ru/eng/12005/12062/12082/index.shtml State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Defence] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-04-11 , Russian Ministry of Defence, accessed May 2008.)