Along with the Russian President, here are the 7 close aide of Vladimir Putin who have been behind the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has waged a full-fledged war on Ukraine. The world has spent much of the past seven days wondering just what is going on in President Putin's head. Putin is one of the most powerful men in the world. Born in St Petersburg in 1952, Vladimir Putin worked as a KGB spy in East Germany before joining politics.
Meanwhile, the question arising is that along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who are the people who have been behind the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has resulted in hundreds of deaths and destruction whose after effect that world is going to bear for a long time.
1. Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation
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Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation and Putin loyalist, Sergei Shoigu influences the decisions of the Russian President the most. He has long reiterated his recommendation to reduce Ukraine's military and protect Russia from Western military might.
Shoigu has also served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Defense of the CIS since 2012.
(Image Source: Reuters)
2. Valery Gerasimov, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces/Deputy Defence Minister
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3. Nikolai Platonovich, Russian politician, security and intelligence officer
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Nikolai Platonovich is a Russian politician, security officer and intelligence officer. Patrushev is one of three Putin allies who have been loyal to him since his St Petersburg days in the 1970s. No one else has as much influence on President Putin as he has.
Not only were these two together in the KGB, but they also played key roles in the post-KGB Federal Security Service over the years. He served as Director of the Russian Federal Security Service and he has been Secretary of the Security Council of Russia since 2008.
(Image Source: Reuters)
4. Alexander Bortnikov, Federal Security Service director
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Federal Security Service director Alexander Vasilyevich Bortnikov is considered Putin's confidant. Bortnikov has known Putin since KGB times. Bortnikov has been heading this intelligence organisation since Patrushev left the FSB (the successor body of the KGB) in 2008.
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5. Sergey Naryshkin, Foreign Intelligence Service director
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Foreign Intelligence Service director Sergey Naryshkin, is a Russian politician and businessman who has been with Putin since the 1990s. In 2004, he joined Putin's office and then became Speaker of Parliament. But he is also the head of the Russian Historical Society of Russia.
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6. Sergei Lavrov, Russian Defence Minister
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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Lavrov is Russia's most senior bureaucrat. Known as a clever diplomat, it is Lavrov who presents Russia's side to the world.
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7. Valentina Matviyenko, Putin's advisor
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Valentina Matviyenko is the only woman among Putin's close advisors. Matviyenko has also been with Putin since St Petersburg. In 2014, she also helped Putin in the annexation of Crimea by Russia.
(Image Source: Twitter)
