On June 26, Sergei Ivanov, a former defense minister and the person… (иванов · путин · президент)
On June 26, Sergei Ivanov, a former defense minister and the person closest to the Russian presidential throne in the 2000s, died. After the 2008 elections, when Putin chose his rival Ivanov's competitor, Dmitry Medvedev, as his successor, Ivanov became deputy prime minister and later headed the Kremlin administration.
Consensus
- Sergei Ivanov, former defense minister and close associate of Vladimir Putin, has died at age 73.
- His death was first announced by the VTB United League, where he served as president.
- Ivanov was a key figure in Russian politics since the 1970s, having served in various high-level positions including vice-premier and presidential envoy for ecology and transport.
- He was considered a leading contender for the presidency in 2007 but lost to Dmitry Medvedev.
- Ivanov had been in declining influence in recent years, having been stripped of his final official posts in early 2026.
Points of divergence
- Ivanov's death was due to health problems, and he had recently retired from his final position as envoy for ecology and transport. — meduza
- Ivanov was reportedly suffering from serious illness in recent months, and his removal from office was officially announced by Putin in February 2026. — thebell
- Ivanov was considered one of the most influential figures in Russian politics during the early Putin era, and his path to power was linked to his service in the KGB and SVR. — novaya_eu
- Ivanov was a fellow KGB colleague of Putin, and his career trajectory was closely tied to Putin's rise to power, including his appointment as head of the FSB in 1998. — mediazona
Coverage (9 sources)
- A Man Who Survived Political Death: Sergey Ivanov Lost the Presidential Bid But Won a Comfortable Prize—A Job He Truly Loved — Meduza
- Failed Successor: Former Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov Dies — The Bell
- Former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov Has Died: Remembering the Path of Putin's Close Ally Who Never Became His Successor — Новая газета Европа
- "Will you answer for me now?" — Meduza publishes excerpts from Mikhail Zygar's book "The Entire Kremlin Army" on how Sergei Ivanov almost became Putin's successor — Meduza
- Former Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, Putin's KGB Colleague, Has Died — Медиазона
- Former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov Has Died — Новая газета Европа
- Former Head of the Presidential Administration and One of Putin's Longest-Serving Allies, Sergey Ivanov, Has Died — The Bell
- One of Putin's Longest-Serving Allies, Sergei Ivanov, Has Died — The Bell
- Serгей Ivanov, Former Minister of Defense and Presidential Administration, Dies; Once Considered a Possible Putin Successor — Meduza