Sergei Shoigu
Сергей Шойгу
🇷🇺 RussiaReplaced
Role
Former Minister of Defence of Russia; Secretary of the Security Council
Rank
General of the Army
War Period
Feb 2022 – May 2024 (Defence Minister)
General Sergei Shoigu served as Russia's Minister of Defence from 2012 and oversaw the Russian armed forces during the planning and first two years of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He was a close ally of Vladimir Putin and a frequent target of criticism from Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin during the 2023 mutiny. In May 2024 Putin removed him as Defence Minister and appointed him Secretary of the Security Council.
Key Operations
- —Overall defence ministry direction of the invasion (2022–2024)
- —Implementation of partial mobilisation (September 2022)
- —Defence procurement and military-industrial mobilisation
Notable
Shoigu was singled out by Yevgeny Prigozhin as a primary target of the June 2023 Wagner mutiny, with Prigozhin demanding his removal. He was ultimately reassigned from the Defence Ministry to the Security Council in May 2024.
Other Russia Commanders
Vladimir Putin
ActiveSupreme Commander-in-Chief
Valery Gerasimov
ActiveChief of the General Staff / Commander of Russian forces in Ukraine
Sergei Surovikin
DismissedFormer Commander of Russian forces in Ukraine
Yevgeny Prigozhin
KIAWagner Group Founder & Commander
Alexander Dvornikov
DismissedFormer Overall Commander of Russian forces in Ukraine
Mikhail Mizintsev
ActiveDirector of Russia's National Defense Management Center; commander of Mariupol siege
Mikhail Teplinsky
ActiveCommander of Russian Airborne Forces (VDV)
Rustam Muradov
DismissedFormer Commander of the Eastern Military District
Aleksandr Lapin
DismissedCommander of the Central Military District ("Group Center")
Andrei Mordvichev
ActiveCommander of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army; later Commander of "Group South"
Oleg Salyukov
ActiveCommander-in-Chief of Russian Ground Forces
Aleksandr Zhuravlyov
ActiveCommander, Western Military District; Commander, "Group North" (2024)
Andrei Belousov
ActiveMinister of Defence of Russia
Yunus-bek Yevkurov
ActiveDeputy Minister of Defence of Russia
Oleg Tsokov
KIADeputy Commander of the Southern Military District
Gennady Anashkin
ActiveCommander of the "Group South" forces
Related Battles & Operations
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sergei Shoigu?
General Sergei Shoigu served as Russia's Minister of Defence from 2012 and oversaw the Russian armed forces during the planning and first two years of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He was a close ally of Vladimir Putin and a frequent target of criticism from Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin during the 2023 mutiny. In May 2024 Putin removed him as Defence Minister and appointed him Secretary of the Security Council.
What is Sergei Shoigu's role in the Ukraine war?
Sergei Shoigu (General of the Army) served as Former Minister of Defence of Russia; Secretary of the Security Council on the Russia side. Service period: Feb 2022 – May 2024 (Defence Minister). Current status: Replaced.
What key operations was Sergei Shoigu involved in?
Overall defence ministry direction of the invasion (2022–2024). Implementation of partial mobilisation (September 2022). Defence procurement and military-industrial mobilisation.
What is notable about Sergei Shoigu in the context of the Ukraine war?
Shoigu was singled out by Yevgeny Prigozhin as a primary target of the June 2023 Wagner mutiny, with Prigozhin demanding his removal. He was ultimately reassigned from the Defence Ministry to the Security Council in May 2024.
Is Sergei Shoigu still active in the Ukraine war?
Sergei Shoigu's current status is: Replaced. They served during Feb 2022 – May 2024 (Defence Minister).