Nice Work If You Can Get It: Putin's Protectors Promoted
Getting a plum government gig in Russia is a lot easier if you’ve served in the Kremlin’s presidential bodyguard agency, the Federal Protection Service (bonus points if you’ve saved Vladimir Putin from a bear). At least seven former Putin bodyguards now hold various top jobs in government.
Aleksei Dyumin
Claims he once saved Putin from a bear
Various positions in the Federal Protection Service
1995-2013
Key role in the occupation of Crimea
2014
Governor of the Tula region
2016
2024
Head of State Council and Aide to the President
Viktor Zolotov
Previously Yeltsin's bodyguard, once challenged opposition leader Aleksei Navalny to a duel
Head of presidential security
2000-2013
Head of the National Guard
2016
Valery Pikalyov
Head of security of Putin's residence
2014
Deputy governor of St. Petersburg
2019
Organized the administration of occupied Mariupol
after 2022
2024
Head of the Federal Customs Service
Dmitry Mironov
Putin's bodyguard during a motor rally
2010
Governor of the Yaroslavl region
2017
Aide to the President
2021
Dmitry Stepanenko
Federal Protection Service
1998-2004
Minister of agriculture for the Moscow region
2014-2016
Chairman of the Yaroslav region government
2016-2021
2022
Deputy director of the Federal Agency for State Property Management
Aleksandr Kurenkov
A sports teacher in the 1990s
Joined the Federal Security Service
1999
Joined the Federal Protection Service
2002
Emergencies minister
2022
Yury Kotov
Helped Boris Yeltsin climb onto a tank in front of the government in 1991
Joined the Federal Security Service
2017
Assistant to the director of the Russian National Guard
unclear
Aleksei Dyumin
Claims he once saved Putin from a bear
Various positions in the Federal Protection Service
1995-2013
Key role in the occupation of Crimea
2014
Governor of the Tula region
2016
2024
Head of State Council and Aide to the President
Viktor Zolotov
Previously Yeltsin's bodyguard, once challenged opposition leader Aleksei Navalny to a duel
Head of presidential security
2000-2013
Head of the National Guard
2016
Valery Pikalyov
Head of security of Putin's residence
2014
Deputy governor of St. Petersburg
2019
Organized the administration of occupied Mariupol
after 2022
2024
Head of the Federal Customs Service
Dmitry Mironov
Putin's bodyguard during a motor rally
2010
Governor of the Yaroslavl region
2017
Aide to the President
2021
Dmitry Stepanenko
Federal Protection Service
1998-2004
Minister of agriculture for the Moscow region
2014-2016
Chairman of the Yaroslav region government
2016-2021
2022
Deputy director of the Federal Agency for State
Property Management
Aleksandr Kurenkov
A sports teacher in the 1990s
Joined the Federal Security Service
1999
Joined the Federal Protection Service
2002
Emergencies minister
2022
Yury Kotov
Helped Boris Yeltsin climb onto a tank in front of the government in 1991
Joined the Federal Security Service
2017
Assistant to the director of the Russian National Guard
unclear
Aleksei Dyumin
Claims he once saved Putin from a bear
1995-2013
Various positions in the Federal Protection Service
2014
Key role in the occupation of Crimea
2016
Governor of the Tula region
2024
Head of State Council and Aide to the President
Viktor Zolotov
Previously Yeltsin's bodyguard, once challenged opposition leader Aleksei Navalny to a duel
2000-2013
Head of presidential security
2016
Head of the National Guard
Valery Pikalyov
2014
Head of security of Putin's residence
2019
Deputy governor of St. Petersburg
after 2022
Organized the administration of occupied Mariupol
2024
Head of the Federal Customs Service
Dmitry Mironov
2010
Putin's bodyguard during a motor rally
2017
Governor of the Yaroslavl region
2021
Aide to the President
Dmitry Stepanenko
1998-2004
Federal Protection Service
2014-2016
Minister of agriculture for the Moscow region
2016-2021
Chairman of the Yaroslav region government
2022
Deputy director of the Federal Agency for State
Property Management
Aleksandr Kurenkov
A sports teacher in the 1990s
1999
Joined the Federal Security Service
2002
Joined the Federal Protection Service
2022
Emergencies minister
Yury Kotov
Helped Boris Yeltsin climb onto a tank in front of the government in 1991
2017
Joined the Federal Security Service
unclear
Assistant to the director of the Russian National
Guard