Sergei Shoigu | AP News

Sergei Shoigu

This photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, shows Lt. Gen. Vadim Shamarin, deputy chief of the Russian military general staff, posing for an official photo in Moscow, Russia, on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. A deputy chief of the Russian military general staff has been arrested on charges of large-scale bribery, Russian news reports said Thursday, the latest in a series of bribery arrests of high-ranking military officials. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service photo via AP)

Deputy Russian military chief of staff jailed for bribery in latest arrest of high defense official

Russian news reports say a deputy chief of the military general staff has been arrested on charges of large-scale bribery. The arrest of Lt. Gen.
 
'BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE' - In this undated photo distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, Russian Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov is seen during a military parade in a Russian military academy in Krasnodar, Russia,. The Investigative Committee, Russia's top law enforcement body, said in a statement Tuesday that chief of the ministry's main personnel directorate Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov was arrested on the charges of bribery and placed in custody pending investigation and trial. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Another top Russian Defense Ministry official is arrested on bribery charges amid Kremlin shake-up

 
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is driven along Red Square in an Aurus car during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

A Kremlin shake-up of Russia’s Defense Ministry comes at a key moment in the Ukraine war

 
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu leave Red Square after the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed removing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from his post. Putin nominated First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov for the role. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Putin replaces Shoigu as Russia’s defense minister as he starts his 5th term

 
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks to Mikhail Mishustin, the candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 10, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Putin reappoints his prime minister, a technocrat who has kept a low political profile

 

Putin signs decree approving new government

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree appointing a new government, including replacement of the defense minister with a former deputy prime minister who is an economics expert with no military background. He met with the new ministers and congratulated them on their new assignments, adding that he plans to meet with the outgoing ministers to discuss how they can “work effectively for the benefit of the Russian people and Russian state”.
Watch More

Moscow court upholds decision for pre-trial detention of Russian Deputy Defence Minister

Russia’s top military commanders vote in presidential election

AP Top Stories February 23 P

More News

Russian general who criticized equipment shortages in Ukraine is arrested on bribery charges

Russian news reports say a general who was relieved of duty last year after complaining about problems faced by his troops in Ukraine has been arrested on charges of widescale bribery.
 
This handout photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, Jan 11, 2024, shows Timur Ivanov, deputy defense minister, in Moscow. Ivanov, a top Russian military official was arrested on suspicion of accepting a bribe, authorities said Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Ivanov, one of Russia's 12 deputy defense ministers, was sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service photo via AP)

Third man is detained in a major bribery case that involves Russia’s deputy defense minister

Moscow’s court service says a third man has been detained in a major bribery case involving one of Russian’s most senior defense officials.
 
In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu leads a meeting with the leadership of the Armed Forces at the National Defense Control Center in Moscow, Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In rare call, Russian defense minister warns French counterpart against sending troops to Ukraine

Russia’s defense minister has warned his French counterpart against deploying troops to Ukraine in a rare phone call and noted that Moscow stands ready to take part in talks to end the fighting.
 
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, center, takes a seat for the opening ceremony of the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. Defense Minister Shoigu said Monday the United States is fueling geopolitical tensions to uphold its "hegemony" and warned of the risk of confrontation between major countries. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Russia’s envoy uses the stage at a military forum in China to accuse the US of fueling tensions

Russia’s defense minister says the United States is fueling geopolitical tensions to uphold its “global dominance by any means.”
 
Soldiers of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade ride an APC near Bakhmut, the site of fierce battles with the Russian forces in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Libkos)

Russia says southeast Ukraine is now the main focus of fighting in the war

Fighting in the southeast could be one of the keys to the war. If Russian defenses there collapse, Ukrainian forces could push southward toward the coast and potentially split Russian forces into two.
 
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House says top Russian official pitched North Korea on increasing sale of munitions to Moscow

The White House says U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has made a pitch to North Korean officials to increase the sale of munitions to Moscow.
 
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and China's Vice Chairman of the standing committee of the country’s National People’s Congress Li Hongzhong, right, attend a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War, on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, July 27, 2023. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Russian and Chinese delegates join North Korean leader Kim at a parade showing his newest missiles

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shared center stage with senior delegates from Russia and China as he rolled out his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles in a military parade.
 
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, with Russian delegation led by its Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visits an arms exhibition in Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, July 26, 2023, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Russian defense minister to discuss military cooperation

North Korean state media say leader Kim Jong Un has met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for discussions on military issues and the regional security environment.
 
FILE - In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, watches a military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of North Korea's army at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea on April 25, 2022. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

Rival Koreas mark armistice anniversary in two different ways that highlight rising tensions

The truce that stopped the bloodshed in the Korean War turns 70 on Thursday and the two Koreas are marking the anniversary in starkly different ways, underscoring their deepening nuclear tensions.
 
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, foreground, prepares to offer a flower at a liberation war martyrs cemetery in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday, July 25, 2023, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Chinese and Russian officials to join North Korean commemorations of Korean War armistice

Russia and China are sending government delegations to North Korea this week for events marking the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War.
 
FILE - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov attend the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to the joint staff of troops involved in Russia's military operation in Ukraine, at an unknown location, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. The chief of the military's General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, was named the new chief of the Russian forces in Ukraine. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Top Russian military officer put in charge of Ukraine action

Russia’s top military officer has been put in charge of troops fighting in Ukraine on Wednesday. It’s a move that appears to reflect the Kremlin’s dissatisfaction with the current leadership and flaws in the military’s performance.
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. (Pavel Byrkin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian military announces plan to expand, create new units

Russia on Wednesday announced an ambitious plan to beef up its military from 1 million to 1.5 million and create multiple new units, an attempt to bolster the forces that have lost momentum and many soldiers in the war in Ukraine.
 
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his speech at a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of Russian Federal Medical-Biological Agency in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022. As Russia faces mounting setbacks in Ukraine, Putin appears to have delegated delivering unpopular news to others — a tactic he has already used during the coronavirus pandemic. (Sergei Guneyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Where’s Putin? Leader leaves bad news on Ukraine to others

President Vladimir Putin wasn’t present when his top military officials announced on television that Russia was withdrawing from the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
 

Chinese, Russia defense chiefs hold telephone conference

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held a recent telephone call with his Russia counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, to “exchange views on international and regional issues of mutual concern,” an official said Thursday.
 
A woman walks past buildings damaged by Russian shelling in Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

Russia, NATO hold nuclear drills as Ukraine villages pounded

NATO and Russia’s military alike are staging planned annual nuclear exercises. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday remotely monitored the drills of his strategic nuclear forces, including multiple practice missile launches.
 
In this handout photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired as part of Russia's nuclear drills from a launch site in Plesetsk, northwestern Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has monitored drills of the country's strategic nuclear forces involving multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles. The Kremlin said in a statement that all the test-fired missiles reached their designated targets. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Putin monitors practice launches by Russia’s nuclear forces

Russian President Vladimir Putin has monitored drills of the country’s strategic nuclear forces involving multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles.
 
FILE - Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is seen from around twenty kilometers away in an area in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Ukraine alleges Russian dirty bomb deception at nuke plant

Ukraine’s nuclear energy operator says Russian forces have performed secret work at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
 
Ukrainian National guard soldiers fire at Russian positions with a mortar near Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

Live Updates | Russia-Ukraine-War

Russian President Vladimir Putin has chaired the first meeting of a new committee tasked with boosting the delivery of weapons and supplies for his country’s troops in Ukraine.
 
Taisiia Kovaliova, 15, stands amongst the rubble of a playground in front of her house hit by a Russian missile in Mykolaiv, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. "I spent all my childhood and life at this courtyard, I already feel nostalgic. I went to this swing that stood it all" Taisiia said. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Russia’s defense chief warns of ‘dirty bomb’ provocation

Russia’s defense chief has alleged that Ukraine was preparing a “provocation” involving a radioactive device, a stark claim that was strongly rejected by U.S., Ukrainian and British officials amid soaring tensions as Moscow struggles to stem Ukrainian advances.
 

ÚK: Russian fighter releases missile in technical mistake

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s defense secretary revealed Thursday that a Russian fighter jet released a missile near an RAF aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea last month.
 
Local residents search for documents of their injured friend in the debris of a destroyed apartment house after Russian shelling in a residential area in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Russia steps up attacks across Ukraine’s north, east, south

Russian forces have fired missiles and shells at cities and towns across Ukraine, attacks that Ukrainian officials say killed at least 17 more civilians.
 
In this handout photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, July 4, 2022, A man sets a Russian national flag on a balcony of a residential building in Lysychansk, which is now territory under the Government of the Luhansk People's Republic control, eastern Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Putin declares victory in eastern Ukraine region of Luhansk

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, one day after Ukrainian forces withdrew from their last remaining bulwark of resistance in the province.
 
In this photo provided by the Luhansk region military administration, damaged residential buildings are seen in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, early Sunday, July 3, 2022. Russian forces pounded the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday. A presidential adviser said its fate would be decided within the next two days. (Luhansk region military administration via AP)

Russia claims control of pivotal eastern Ukrainian province

Russia has claimed control over the last Ukrainian stronghold in an eastern province that is key to achieving a major goal of Moscow’s grinding war.
 
FILE - Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, center right, meets with Russian lawmaker Dmitry Sablin, center left, and a Russian delegation in Damascus, Syria, June 14, 2022. Sablin visited Syria with a Russian delegation that included the foreign minister for the breakaway pro-Russian area in Ukraine, the "Donetsk People's Republic." Syria said Wednesday, June 29, 2022, that it has it has decided to recognize the “independence and sovereignty” of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions and contacts will be underway to have diplomatic relations. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki, File)

Syria to recognize Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria said Wednesday it will recognize the “independence and sovereignty” of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions and contacts will be established to set up diplomatic relations.
 
Ukrainian injured servicemen and an injured civilian wait for medical treatment in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Russia claims advances in Ukraine amid fierce fighting

Russia claims to have taken control of 97% of one of the two provinces that make up Ukraine’s Donbas, bringing the Kremlin closer to its goal of fully capturing the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories.
 
Ukrainian servicemen sit in a bus after they left the besieged Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant, near a penal colony in Olyonivka, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 20, 2022. (AP Photo)

Russia claims to have taken full control of Mariupol

Russia claims to have captured Mariupol in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine.
 
FILE - Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 11, 2022. After rebuffing U.S. requests for months, Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu spoke with Austin on May 13. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

US, Russian defense chiefs speak for 1st time since invasion

After rebuffing U.S. requests for months, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday.
 
In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Jan. 22, 2022, servicemen of the engineer-sapper regiment take the military oath in the Voronezh Region, Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

War in Ukraine fuels fears among draft-age Russian youths

As the Russian army bogs down in Ukraine, many youths back home feel increasingly jittery about the prospect of being drafted and sent into combat.
 
In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, An MiG-31 fighter of the Russian air force carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missile is parked at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria. The Russian military deployed additional warplanes to its air base in Syria as part of massive naval drills in the Mediterranean. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russia sends warplanes to Syria for huge naval drills in Med

The Russian military has deployed long-range nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets carrying state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to Syria for massive naval drills in the Mediterranean Sea amid the soaring tensions with the West over Ukraine.
 
In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu shows his signature under a roadmap for military cooperation between Russia and China during a video call with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. Shoigu and Wei signed a roadmap for military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing and called for intensifying joint drills and patrols. (Vadim Savitskiy/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russia, China sign roadmap for closer military cooperation

Russia’s defense chief has signed a roadmap for closer military ties with China, pointing to increasingly frequent U.S. strategic bomber flights near both countries’ borders.
 
Load More