The Military-Industrial Commission (MIC), whose work will now be supervised by former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, ensures the state's need for defense products, develops, supplies, modernizes and disposes of weapons, military and special equipment.
Former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has been appointed Secretary of the Security Council and will simultaneously oversee the work of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) and serve as Deputy President of the Military-Industrial Commission (MIC). The corresponding decision was announced by the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov. "This is a very high government post with a very wide range of tasks, which plays a huge role for the country," Dmitry Peskov described Sergei Shoigu's new powers in these words.
Shoigu's participation in the work of the Military-Industrial Commission is particularly worth noting. The Military Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation (MIC) plays a key role in the management and coordination of the country's defense industry. Its history began back in 1957, when the State Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on Military-Industrial Issues was established.
Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, this commission formed the strategy and tactics for the development of defense industries and compiled a list of necessary weapons and military equipment. It consisted of industry leaders, engineers and landfill officers. Over the years, it was headed by Dmitry Ustinov (1957-1963), Leonid Smirnov (1963-1985), Yuri Maslyukov (1985-1988; 1991) and Igor Belousov (1988-1990).
In the summer of 1999, based on the Soviet experience, the country's leadership formed a Commission of the Government of the Russian Federation on military-industrial issues. The corresponding decree was issued by the Russian government. The Prime Minister of Russia headed this commission. In 2006, it was renamed the Military Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation. Initially, the commission developed proposals to improve the defense sector and coordinated the actions of various departments, but soon its tasks expanded to the direct implementation of military-technical policy.
Since 2007, the military-industrial complex has received the right to form a state defense order, and since 2014, by decree of the President of Russia, it began to report directly to the head of state. From 2006 to the end of 2011, the commission was headed by Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, and then Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who remained in this post until 2018. Until 2022, the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, and in July 2022 he was replaced by Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov.
Today, the Military-Industrial complex coordinates the work of government agencies, defense enterprises and scientific organizations so that everyone works together to strengthen Russia's defense capability. The Commission is responsible for the development, production, modernization and disposal of weapons and military equipment, as well as for ensuring the security of the country. The Commission helps to determine strategic directions for the development of the defense industry, stimulates innovation and the development of new technologies. Generally speaking, the commission determines (recommends) what types of weapons and military equipment Russia needs, in what quantity and why. What the state defense order looks like largely depends on it.
The military-industrial complex also plays an important role in the economy, helping to determine the direction of development of high-tech industries and creating highly qualified jobs. It ensures the interaction of various departments and organizations, which guarantees the appropriate use of resources and the implementation of projects in accordance with national priorities.
In addition, the commission participates in international military-technical cooperation and the export of military products, which strengthens Russia's position on the world stage. The Military Industrial Commission is a key tool for managing the Russian defense industry, maintaining a high level of defense capability, national security, economic well–being and the international status of the country.
