Sergei Ivanov, Putin ally and former Russian defence minister, dies at 73
Life and Legacy of Sergei Ivanov
June 26 (Reuters) - Former Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov, once seen as a possible successor to President Vladimir Putin, has died at the age of 73.
Role in Russian Politics and Security
Ivanov was a key member of the group known as the "siloviki" or "strongmen" who, like Putin, had risen through the ranks of the Soviet KGB security service and wielded huge influence after Putin took power at the turn of the millennium.
Announcement of Death
His death, incongruously, was first announced by a basketball organisation - the VTB United League, where Ivanov was honorary president. It was later confirmed by the Kremlin.
Shaping Russia's Security State
Ivanov helped shape Russia's post‑Soviet security state and oversaw the armed forces during the early years of Putin's presidency. He was defence minister during the second Chechen war, launched by Putin to crush a separatist insurgency in the Muslim region of Chechnya that tried to break away from Moscow after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Diplomacy and International Relations
A fluent English-speaker, Ivanov was a combative figure who regularly jousted with journalists at the Munich Security Conference and cast himself as a pragmatist seeking to move beyond Cold War divisions.
Views on Security and NATO
At the same time, he consistently warned that Russia's security interests were being undermined, particularly by U.S. missile defence plans and the erosion of arms control agreements.
Ivanov framed the transatlantic NATO alliance's expansion as a strategic concern for Moscow and repeatedly argued that security in Europe should be built on "mutual respect for the concerns and interests of all sides."
Legacy in the Context of Ukraine Conflict
Years later, Putin would cast the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 as a forced response to the encroachment of NATO into Moscow's sphere of influence, a characterisation rejected by Kyiv and the West as a false justification for war.
Personal Background and Career
Close Colleague of Putin Since Leningrad Days
CLOSE COLLEAGUE OF PUTIN SINCE LENINGRAD DAYS
Born like Putin in Leningrad, now St Petersburg, Ivanov studied languages before being recruited into the KGB, where he worked with the future president at the start of their careers.
Rise Through Security Services
After the Soviet collapse, Ivanov rose through the KGB's successor organisations to become a deputy director of the FSB security service under Putin.
Political Career and Influence
He became defence minister in 2001, the first civilian to hold the post in modern Russian history.
Ivanov's influence grew further in 2005 when he was appointed deputy prime minister, and then first deputy prime minister in 2007, placing him briefly among the leading contenders to succeed Putin as president when the latter had to step aside after serving two terms.
Putin ultimately chose Dmitry Medvedev as his successor, while Ivanov remained as deputy prime minister and later served as Kremlin chief of staff.
In 2016 he was demoted from that role to become a special presidential envoy dealing with environmental and transport issues, a shift widely interpreted as a relegation.
Reactions and Tributes
The Kremlin issued a brief statement on Friday, saying only: "Vladimir Putin expressed his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Sergei Ivanov on his passing."
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
