Sergey Shoygu is a Russian personality, politician and army general who serves as Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. Despite this, Shoigu has also served as the CIS Council of Defense Ministers for almost 10 years. Prior to these positions, he served as Minister of Emergency Situations from 1991 to 2012, and briefly served as Governor of Moscow Region in 2012. Recently, Shoygu has been in the news for his Russia-Ukraine (2022) engagement. During a meeting with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, he said that Russia had not been involved in any invasion of Ukraine.
Early life
Shoigu was born on May 21, 1955 and is 67 years old as of 2022. Shoigu grew up in Chadan, Tuvan Autonomous Oblast, from where he attended Kyzyl City No. 1 School and received his elementary education. His father’s name is Kuzhuget Shoygu (1921–2010) and his mother’s name is Alexandra Yakovlevna Shoygu (1924–2011), a Ukrainian-born Russian mother. Shoigu graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute in 1977 as a civil engineer. Shoigu is a known speaker of at least nine languages including Japanese, Chinese, Turkish, English and Russian.
Sergey Shoygu career
After graduating in 1977, Shoygu briefly worked on construction projects. In 1988, Shoygu was honored with the position of junior official in the Abakan branch, after which he received another position for Komsomol, which he held for several more years. In 1990, Shoygu moved to Moscow from Siberia and received the position of deputy head of the State Committee on Architecture and Construction of the Russian Federation.
Shoigu was given the position of Chief of Rescue Corps in 1991, after which he was given more responsibility and became the first person to be renamed the State Committee for Emergencies and eventually became the Ministry of Emergencies.
He briefly gained the limelight and became one of the most popular military figures due to his hands-on leadership style in emergencies such as floods, earthquakes and terrorist attacks.
Later in 1999, Shoigu became one of the leading figures in Russia’s pro-government Unity party when he was appointed party leader. Later he was honored with the most prestigious state award of Russia, Hero of the Russian Federation. In March 2012, Shoigu was honored as the top candidate for Governor of Moscow Oblast.
Department of Defense
Later, on April 5, 2012, he was elected by the Moscow Oblast Duma, after which he became the 3rd Governor of Moscow Region, taking office on May 11, 2012. In November 2012, Shoigu was bestowed the post of Defense Minister by Putin.
In July 2014, he was charged with the criminal case, as it was found that he had helped “illegal military groups” of the Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine. He was later reappointed to the governing position of Medvedev’s second government in 2018, and after that he was appointed to the Mishustin government in 2020.
Sergey Shoygu biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Sergei Kushugetovich Shoigu |
| date of birth | May 21, 1955 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 66 years |
| place of birth | Chadan, Russia |
| nationality | Russian |
| job | Defense Minister of the Russian Federation |
| religion | Buddhism |
| sun sign | Taurus |
Physical Statistics | |
| height | in feet inches – 5′ 9” – in centimeters – 175 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 85kg – in pounds – 187 pounds |
| shoe size | 10 (US) |
| Hair color | dark brown |
| eye color | dark brown |
| body type | average |
Sergey Shoygu Family | |
| father | Kuzhuget Shoygu |
| mother | Alexandra Yakovlevna Shoigu |
| sister | Larisa Kuzhugetovna Shoygu, Irina Zakharova |
| Brothers | – |
Qualification/Education | |
| school | – |
| University | Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute |
Relationship status | |
| marital status | Married |
| Who is Sergey Shoygu’s wife? | Irina Shoigu |
| children | Two (Kseniya Shoygu, Yulia Shoygu) |
Personal life
Sergey Shoygu is a happily married man who has a wife (Irina Alexandrovna Shoygu) and (now) two adult daughters. Irina Alexandrovna Shoygu is also a working woman who serves as the President of a business tourism company called Expo-EM. In 1977, the couple gave birth to their first child (a daughter) named Yulia. Two years later, in 1991, the couple gave birth to their second child (another daughter), who was named Ksenia.
Sergey Shoygu Net Worth
Sergey Shoygu has had a great career in government positions. Shoygu has achieved much throughout his government career, which he began immediately after graduating in 1977. His main source of income is his government positions, which he currently holds in the military.
Facts About Sergey Shoygu
- Sergey Shoygu has received at least 30 medals, honors and awards
- Shoygu is a sports enthusiast and describes himself as a big fan of the CSKA Moscow ice hockey team.
- He also likes football where he is a fan of Spartak Moscow on the field. Once in March 2016, Shoygu, along with Sergey Lavrov, presented the Russian People’s Soccer League to unite fans for the sport from different corners of Russia.
- Shoygu likes to collect Indian, Chinese and Japanese swords and daggers. He also enjoys the collection of old pieces of wood, some of which he has shown to President Putin.
- Shoygu is also a fan of bard songs and enjoys playing the guitar in his spare time.