Sergey Ivanov - Minister of Defense (2001-2007), politician, head of the presidential administration of the Russian Federation - has always been distinguished by his determination. His career is a model of progressive upward movement. Ivanov is known for his figurative and bold statements and great loyalty to the president.
Childhood and parents
On January 31, 1953, a new man was born in Leningrad - Sergey Borisovich Ivanov. Parents lived in a crowded communal apartment on Vasilievsky Island. The boy’s father died very early, and his mother raised him. She worked as an engineer, and wealth in the family was very modest. She was greatly assisted in raising her son by her brother, who served as captain of long-distance vessels. He had a strong influence on the worldview and character of Sergey. As a child, Ivanov was not a problem child, he went in for sports, studied well, did not conflict with peers.
Education
In a school with in-depth study of a foreign language, Sergey Borisovich Ivanov studied brilliantly, was one of the best students of the school. He actively participated in language contests and school concerts. Even in his teens, he decided to become a diplomat and worked hard towards this goal. In school, he was actively involved in sports, was fond of basketball, football, hockey. But already in high school, Sergey acquired a bad habit - he started smoking, he never managed to get rid of this vice.
After school, Ivanov easily goes to the faculty of English translators of the philological faculty of Leningrad State University. At the university, Sergei revealed himself as a bright social activist, he also continued to play sports, with his participation the national team of the basketball faculty became the champion of the university. In 1975, Ivanov successfully completed his studies and received a diploma of higher education.
First career steps and vocational training
Sergey Ivanovich began his professional career in the Second Directorate of the KGB of the USSR for Leningrad and the Leningrad Region, in counterintelligence. In 1976-77, he worked in the same unit as V.V. Putin. Almost immediately, the young specialist was sent to study at the KGB Higher Courses in Minsk, which he graduated in 1977. In 1982, he studied in Moscow at the 101st school of foreign intelligence of the KGB of the USSR.
Service in power structures
After several years of service, Ivanov, the Minister of Defense in the future, transferred to serve in the First Directorate of the KGB, in foreign intelligence, where he found his true calling. Since 1981, for 10 years, Ivanov worked in the Central Office of the KGB, in the First Directorate. He began with the post of detective, several times performed secret missions on foreign missions, then he was the secretary of the embassy in London. According to unconfirmed reports, he was expelled from the UK on suspicion of conducting espionage activities. Since 1991, Sergey Borisovich has been working at the Foreign Intelligence Service, at headquarters in Yasenevo. Here he worked until 1998.
When VV Putin was appointed head of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in 1998 , he immediately proposed to Ivanov to go to him. And in August 1998, Sergei Borisovich was appointed director of the research and forecasting department and deputy director of the FSB.
In 2000, Ivanov was sacked by age from service in the armed forces to the reserve with the rank of colonel general.
Security Council
In early 1999, Ivanov was included in the commission to prepare for the participation of the Russian Federation in the meeting of the G8 countries. And in November, Russian President Boris Yeltsin appointed Ivanov as chairman of the Security Council. The next president, V.V. Putin, also approved Sergey Borisovich in this position. He also worked in the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Councils of the CIS countries. Ivanov did a great job of establishing military-technical cooperation with foreign states. In the course of work to ensure interaction between the CIS countries and other foreign states, Ivanov repeatedly made harsh statements. For example, in 2001, he spoke negatively about the possibility of establishing equal economic relations within the CIS.
Minister of Defense
In 2001, quite unexpectedly for the general public, Sergei Borisovich was appointed Russian Minister of Defense. Since usually this position was occupied by regular military personnel, the civilian figure of Ivanov caused a little bewilderment. But it quickly became clear that Sergey Ivanov was a minister of defense of a new format, a diplomat and a strategist, and these skills were very useful.
Under Ivanov, the Ministry of Defense significantly changed its line of conduct. Sergey Borisovich repeatedly made risky remarks. For example, he said that if there is a threat, Russia could strike anywhere. The only limitation is the use of nuclear weapons. According to him, nobody is going to discuss the response and preventive measures widely.
Various studies and the media note that under Ivanov, cases of counterintelligence actions in the interests of protecting Russia's defense capabilities became more frequent. Thus, the case of the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London and the removal of Yanadrbiev in Qatar are associated with the activities of organizations subordinate to him. In addition, under Ivanov, reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation began, aimed at reducing the number of military personnel, replacing conscripts with contract soldiers, and reducing the number of military departments at universities. The Minister of Defense ensured that the line for housing among military personnel was reduced by a quarter. Under his leadership, many disasters occurred in the army, and issues of hazing began to be discussed more often.
In 2005, Ivanov became part-time deputy chairman of the Russian government. In 2007, Sergei Ivanov, Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, was relieved of his post in connection with the transfer to the government.
Government work
In 2007, the biography of Sergey Ivanovich Ivanov changed. For the first time in his life, he became an absolutely civilian person who was not involved in the power structures of the country. Vladimir Putin said that the Minister of Defense has adequately coped with the tasks before him and that he will continue to oversee the military-industrial complex, and will also work on other projects. Sergei Borisovich retained his post when the government changed. In this position, Ivanov was in charge of the defense industry, transport, and communications. Under the influence of strong intra-governmental intrigues, the intelligent Sergey Borisovich faded into the background, giving way to more active colleagues on TV screens. The media wrote a lot about his confrontation with I. Sechin, from which Ivanov eventually emerged victorious.
Administration of the President of the Russian Federation
In 2011, Medvedev appointed Ivanov as the head of the presidential administration. The ill-wishers said that this position did not meet the ambitions of Sergei Borisovich, but he carried out his duties with the same zeal and thoroughness. The new working address of Ivanov Sergey Borisovich in the Kremlin has been preserved under President V.V. Putin. Some spiteful talk about the decline of Ivanov’s political career. However, his loyalty and closeness to Putin can still cause new rounds of biography.
Awards
Due to natural modesty, Sergey Ivanov, the Minister of Defense (in the past), the head of the presidential administration, has a relatively modest list of awards. He is a full holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, has the Order of Military Merit, Honor, Red Banner, Alexander Nevsky, and For Personal Courage. Also, his merits were marked by a diploma of the CIS, the prize "Russian of the Year."
Personal life
All my life Sergey Borisovich has been happily married. He met his wife in his student years, at the same time the wedding took place. Ivanov Sergey Borisovich, whose wife moved after him from Moscow to Leningrad, rarely talks about his family, a couple can rarely be seen together at official events. Irina works in a large Western company, and in the difficult 90s she was the main breadwinner in the family. The couple had two children. The sons of Ivanov Sergey Borisovich went along the economic line. The eldest, Alexander, was at one time the deputy chairman of Vnesheconombank. The younger, Sergey, works as vice president of Sberbank.
With the eldest son were the biggest experiences in the life of Ivanov. In 2005, Alexander Ivanov hit a crosswalk on an elderly woman. During the trial, a big hype was raised. But the misfortunes did not end there. In 2014, Alexander drowned in the waters of the Persian Gulf while on vacation in the UAE.