Igor Sergeyev

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Igor Dmitriyevich Sergeyev (Russian: Игорь Дмитриевич Сергеев) (b Verkhnyu, Ukraine April 20, 1938 — d Moscow November 10, 2006) was the Defense Minister of the Russian Federation from May 22 of 1997 until March 28 of 2001. He was the first and (at the time of his death) only Marshal of the Russian Federation.

[edit] Career

Sergeyev served briefly in the Soviet navy but later transferred to the army, where he spent most of his career in the Strategic Rocket Forces. Sergeyev became commander in chief of the Strategic Rocket Forces in 1992. In this position he was in charge of securing the former USSR's nuclear weapons.

Sergeyev was appointed minister of defense in 1997 by Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Charged by Yeltsin to bolster conventional forces, Sergeyev made of increasing the combat readiness of nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles his top priority instead.

After the Kursk naval disaster in the Barents Sea, Sergeyev accepted responsibility and he was dismissed as defense minister in March 2001 and was replaced by Sergey Ivanov.

Igor Sergeyev was awarded the Order of the October Revolution, Order of the Red Banner of Labor, Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces (3rd class), Order of the Red Star, Medal for Combat Service, and other decorations.

Sergeyev died November 10, 2006 from the effects of blood cancer.

[edit] Criticism

Sergeyev is blamed by some for not effectively acting during Dagestan War in 1999 but is also praised for the fact that the Russian military captured Chechen capital Grozny in 2000 during the Second Chechen War.^{[citation needed]} However, the ongoing fighting in the south of the republic caused some concern about his efficacy after Vladimir Putin became President.