Sergei Shoigu
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Secretary of the Security Council · Russia
On the regime page: Russian Federation under Vladimir Putin
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“But every day, four, five, and even occasionally eight flights arrived with weapons, modern weapons. And when they say that these are for defence, I can hardly imagine that Javelins are defensive weapons. In the meantime, there are more Javelins there than in some NATO countries. This is evidence that no one is going to comply with the Minsk accords and that everyone is getting ready to solve the problem by force. The situation being what it is, I think they have left us with no other choice. Therefore, I say expressly “yes”: yes, we should recognise them.”
Original (Russian)
Но когда каждый день прибывает по четыре, по пять, а были дни – и по восемь рейсов оружия, современного оружия, и когда говорят, что это оборонительное, мне трудно представить себе, что те же самые «Джавелины» – это оборонительное оружие. А их там уже, Владимир Владимирович, больше, чем в некоторых странах – членах НАТО. И это говорит о том, что никто не собирается выполнять никакие Минские соглашения, а все готовятся решить этот вопрос силовым путём. В этой ситуации я считаю, что нам не оставили выбора, поэтому я однозначно говорю «да»: да, надо признавать.
English: English text published by the Presidential Press and Information Office, en.kremlin.ru (Security Council meeting, 21 February 2022)
Televised meeting of the Security Council on recognising the Donetsk and Luhansk 'people's republics', held on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine; Putin called on members one by one to state their view. Russia recognised both entities as independent later that day. Shoigu, then Defence Minister, spoke about Western arms deliveries to Ukraine and the Minsk agreements.
Remarks at the Security Council meeting chaired by President Putin, Moscow, 21 February 2022 (transcript, kremlin.ru) Source
“The Russian armed forces will continue the special military operation until the goals set are achieved”
English: English as published by TASS (English service), 29 March 2022. Original-language text not found.
Shoigu spoke five weeks into the full-scale invasion, as Russian and Ukrainian delegations held talks in Istanbul, and went on to list humanitarian deliveries made by the Russian military.
Remarks by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu at a conference call, 29 March 2022, as reported by TASS Source
“I cannot but emphasize the fact that today we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West.”
English: English as published by TASS (English service), 21 September 2022. Original-language text not found.
The remark was made on the day President Putin announced a partial mobilisation. Shoigu also said Russia was finding ways to counter Western-supplied weapons and systems.
Remarks by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, 21 September 2022, as reported by TASS Source
Content note: Threat of retribution against named category of fighters The words are shown as they were said or written. Why
“Over 5.8 thousand militants were destroyed. A hundred and three war criminals who displayed specific atrocity have been eliminated in Ukraine. Everyone will face retribution.”
English: English as published by TASS (English service), 19 December 2023. Original-language text not found.
Shoigu summarised the year's results for the armed forces, including claimed Ukrainian losses, which Ukraine and independent analysts dispute. 'Militants' and 'war criminals' refer to foreign fighters and Ukrainian personnel as characterised by Shoigu.
Report by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to the Ministry of Defence's enlarged board, 19 December 2023, as reported by TASS Source
“The US had first created, and now is deliberately prolonging the Ukraine conflict”
English: English as published by RT, 26 April 2024. Original-language text not found.
Shoigu addressed counterparts from the SCO and named the United States as a source of global instability. The United States and Ukraine reject this account and describe Russia's invasion as unprovoked.
Remarks by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to SCO defence ministers, 26 April 2024, as reported by RT Source