I watched the Victory Parade today and saw some strange things. During my service, I myself had to participate in military parades more than once, and I know what a military parade is.

Firstly, at any military parade there are always two major military commanders: one commands the military parade, the second hosts the parade. Secondly, in the army, in accordance with the Charter, it is customary to address military personnel by military rank. Thirdly, the military commander hosting the parade makes a short speech to the troops.

These rules were in effect at all the parades I saw, both in person and on television. Even in the chronicle of the 1945 Victory Parade, where the parade was commanded by Marshal Rokosovsky and the parade was hosted by Marshal Zhukov, and Generalissimo Stalin stood on the podium of the mausoleum and it was Zhukov, not Stalin, who made a speech to the troops.

What did I see that amazed me in 2013? I don’t know, maybe this isn’t the first time – I haven’t followed the parades in recent years.

Let me start from the beginning: the military parade is hosted by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia, Army General Sergei Shoigu, the parade is commanded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin. The beginning does not bode well for any oddities: two high rand military commanders - one receives the parade, the other commands the parade. But strange things began immediately with the meeting of the Minister of Defense. General Colonel Chirkin addresses Army General Shoigu: “Comrade Minister of Defense...”. I remind you once again that according to the Charter, military personnel must address each other by military rank, for example, comrade captain, comrade sailor, comrade army general, etc. And the troops responded to Shoigu’s greeting: “I wish you good health, Comrade Minister of Defense.” I could still somehow accept this if Shoigu considered himself a civilian Minister of Defense and did not wear a uniform. But in this case, the parade, in my opinion, should have been hosted by another current military commander (fortunately, we have enough generals).

The second strange thing: after touring the troops, Shoigu began to report to Putin that the troops were lined up for the parade (???). General Colonel Chirkin has already reported this to Army General Shoigu. If Shoigu accepts the parade, then he should not report anything to anyone. If Putin is hosting the parade, then it was he who should have gone around the troops and congratulated them. And after that (the third oddity) Putin began to give a speech... So what was Shoigu’s role in this parade? If he hosted the parade, then why didn't he give a congratulatory speech?

Being 18 years old at the head of the Soviet Union, L.I. Brezhnev never gave a speech at military parades, although he was always on the podium of the Mausoleum and the military commanders hosting military parades NEVER made any reports to Brezhnev. At the same time, Brezhnev was greedy for various honors. But even he had no idea of ​​changing the centuries-old traditions of military parades. Apparently because Brezhnev actually served in the army and fought. But neither Shoigu nor Putin served and military traditions are an empty phrase for them.

Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu is the Russian Minister of Defense. Let me here recall Orwell and ask the question why an aggressor needs a Ministry of Defense. Defense from whom? And how many remember that the famous Pentagon, that is, the American Department of Defense, was called the Department of War until 1947?

Shoigu is a very interesting person. Firstly, he is often mentioned as one of Putin's possible successors. Of course, in countries such as today’s Russia, 16th-century Turkey, which we know from the TV series “The Magnificent Century,” or North Korea, the phrase “popular successor” contains an internal contradiction: a popular person does not become a successor, but loses his head. Even in a democracy or semi-democracy (words with the prefix “semi-” have recently become popular in the language of political science, which more learned people replace with the word “hybrid”) an overly popular politician who threatens the leading role of the head of state or party usually does not end up very well , although it saves life.

Secondly, Shoigu is considered a neutral and capable technocrat. Of course, in a country where you can convince citizens in one day that Duchess Kate Middleton adopted an orphan and did not give birth to a princess, this opinion is not based on facts known or unknown to us. In any case, Shoigu was Minister of Emergency Situations from 1991 to 2012. A very interesting career for Russia. He served under 12 prime ministers and gained popularity by appearing on television as an expert on floods, plane crashes, two wars in Chechnya, and terrorism.

Thirdly, Shoigu is a recipient of more than 20 orders and medals, including “Defender of Free Russia” and “For the Return of Crimea.” Of course, the latest award may make someone wonder why the Minister of Defense received a medal if the Russian army did not take part in “returning Crimea to its native fold”: after all, this was an ostensibly democratic act of expressing the will of the Russian population of the peninsula. But in Russia no one asks this question, because everyone there knows everything, and in the West, as I already mentioned, Shoigu is considered non-partisan and decent.

Fourthly, although Shoigu was responsible for Russian military personnel (in uniform or not) illegally staying on Ukrainian territory, and a case was opened against him in Ukraine, he was not on any list of Russians who are prohibited from entering the European Union or the United States. At the same time, the lists include several dozen small fish who, like Vladimir Zhirinovsky or Ramzan Kadyrov, are not distinguished by their love of travel.

Fifth, Shoigu founded the International Sports Federation of Fire Rescue, which includes 20 countries, including Poland, and until 2012 he was the president of this federation. I'm not making this up, you can check it on the Internet.

And sixthly, Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu is a person familiar with the world. He is a civil engineer by profession, and spent the last 10 years before the collapse of the USSR abroad, working, as they say, on large construction projects. In a country where many have difficulty speaking one language, he speaks nine. In a country where many cut sausage with a rusty knife, he is the owner of the largest collection of samurai swords worth tens of thousands of dollars. And the people are proud of it.

How to finish? On May 9, Shoigu, hung with orders, opened the Victory Parade in Moscow, with a serious face, and made the sign of the cross over himself. This caused a positive reaction in the civilized world. You see, he's not that bad. It’s not for me to assess the degree of religiosity of people and their faith, but I asked a Russian friend a question about how to explain this unusual gesture of a former member of the CPSU and current member of Putin’s Unity party ( so in the text, - approx.). “Don’t pay attention,” L. told me. “He had to do it.” Because recently there have been rumors that he is a Jew.”

Shoigu has always been presented as a Buddhist, an example of Russia's racial and religious openness: a Tuvan of Mongolian origin or a Tuvan Mongol. A curious coincidence: in 1944, Tannu-Tuva, under vague circumstances, joined the Soviet Union. And Shoigu’s father, a Tuvan, was an active communist there: maybe he passed on the technology of annexation to his son? The minister's mother was Russian, and although her name was Alexandra, her middle name still let us down - Yakovlevna. After some time we will see whether the sign of the cross helped.

In one of Shoigu's interviews

Sergei Shoigu is the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, one of the most popular ministers in the Russian government. After the Victory Parade in Moscow, Russians began to respect Shoigu even more.

The parade in Moscow on May 9, dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, became the largest and most grandiose in history. 17 thousand military personnel from different branches of the military took part in the parade on Red Square, modern military equipment (flagship) in total 194 units of military equipment passed through Red Square, 143 different planes and helicopters flew over the square. Before the opening of the Victory Parade, Minister of Defense, Army General, Hero of Russia Sergei Shoigu bowed his head and crossed himself. This peaceful gesture greatly impressed the Russian people.

Sergei Shoigu headed the Russian Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergency Situations and Disaster Relief (EMERCOM of Russia) for many years; at that time he was already one of the most popular ministers in Russia. Now the rating of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is at a record level, and with one peaceful gesture he has won millions of hearts.

Sergei Shoigu and youngest daughter Ksenia.

On May 9, Sergei Shoigu was at his best, the athletic and handsome army general opened the Victory Parade, medals and orders sparkled in the May sun. Many people became interested in what medals and orders Shoigu has, let’s take a closer look at them.

1. Badge for the honorary title “Honored Rescuer of the Russian Federation”
2. Badge of a graduate of the Civil Defense Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia

3. Badge for the Certificate of Honor of the Government of the Russian Federation
4. Badge of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland, II degree”

5. “Golden Star” of the Hero of the Russian Federation
6. Order of Alexander Nevsky
7. Order of Honor
8. Order "For Personal Courage"
9. Medal “Defender of Free Russia”

10. Medal “In memory of the 850th anniversary of Moscow”
11. Medal “For Merit in Conducting the All-Russian Population Census”
12. Medal “In memory of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg”

13. Medal “In memory of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan”
14. Medal “For Strengthening the Military Community”

15. Medal “200 years of the Ministry of Defense”
16. Medal “For the return of Crimea”

17. Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called
18. Star of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree

Yarygin pistol - premium personalized weapon

This is our Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.