Viktor Zolotov
Viktor Vasilyevich Zolotov is a Russian military officer who is the Director of the National Guard (Rosgvardiya) and a member of the Security Council. Zolotov is a former bodyguard to former President Boris Yeltsin, former St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak, and current Russian leader Vladimir Putin. While working for Sobchak, Zolotov became acquainted with Putin, as well as figures in the St. Petersburg criminal underworld. A member of Putin's siloviki inner circle, Zolotov's rise to power and wealth happened after he became a close Putin confidant. The Zolotov family has obtained valuable land plots through dubious means.
Some of the key events about Viktor Zolotov
- 1975Began service in the KGB's 9th Directorate, responsible for protecting Soviet leaders
- 1991Transitioned to the Federal Protective Service after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
- 1991Allegedly involved in organized crime activities in St. Petersburg
- 2000Appointed to the security detail of President Vladimir Putin
- 2000Accused of using excessive force as head of security for Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov
- 2006Became Deputy Director of the Federal Protective Service
- 2013Appointed Deputy Interior Minister of Russia
- 2014Awarded the rank of Army General
- 2014Implicated in the violent suppression of protests in Ukraine during the Maidan Revolution
- 2016Appointed Director of the National Guard of Russia (Rosgvardiya)
- 2016Appointed head of the newly formed National Guard, raising concerns about increased militarization
- 2017Accused of corruption and amassing unexplained wealth by opposition leader Alexei Navalny
- 2018Became a permanent member of the Security Council of Russia
- 2018Challenged Navalny to a "duel", threatening physical violence against a political opponent
- 2019Oversaw the expansion of Rosgvardiya's responsibilities and capabilities
- 2019Oversaw harsh crackdowns on anti-government protests in Moscow
- 2020Accused of ordering violent dispersals of peaceful protesters during constitutional reform demonstrations
- 2021Received the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree for his service
- 2021Implicated in the alleged poisoning and imprisonment of Alexei Navalny
- 2022Involved in planning and executing the invasion of Ukraine as part of Putin's inner circle
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