Former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has died at the age of 73. He was considered one of the most influential figures in the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he had collaborated for decades. The cause of Ivanov’s death has not yet been announced by Russian authorities, Reuters writes.
Ivanov was a former Soviet KGB officer and began his career in foreign intelligence services. He was later appointed Russia’s Minister of Defense, playing a key role in the country’s security structures. After heading the Ministry of Defense, he served as deputy prime minister and then as head of the presidential administration, remaining one of the Kremlin’s most trusted men.
For many years, Ivanov was considered one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest associates, as the two had known each other since their time serving in the security structures of the former Soviet Union. His death marks the loss of one of the most important figures in the Russian political and security elite. /Telegraph