Silovik

The term siloviki ('siloviks') is literally translated as "people of force" or "strongmen" (from Russian сила, "force" or "strength"). It originated from the phrase "institutions of force" (), which appeared in the early Boris Yeltsin era (early 1990s) to denote the military-style uniformed services, including the military proper, the police (Ministry of Internal Affairs), national security (FSB) organisations, and some other structures. A similar term is "securocrat" (law enforcement and intelligence officer). Daniel Treisman in turn proposed a term "silovarch" (silovik and oligarch). ==Description==

Siloviki often wish to encourage a view that they might be seen in Russia as being generally non-ideological, with a pragmatic law-and-order focus and Russian national interests at heart. They are generally well educated and bring past commercial experience to their government posts. It is assumed that siloviki have a natural preference for the reemergence of a strong Russian state. ==Persons and positions==

Senior siloviki under the presidency of Vladimir Putin include Sergei Ivanov, Viktor Ivanov, Sergei Shoigu, Igor Sechin, Nikolai Patrushev, Alexander Bortnikov, and Sergey Naryshkin who have had close working relationships with Putin and held key positions in Putin's governments. Willerton points out, however, that it is difficult to assess if their common security-intelligence background translates into common political preferences. Putin's chief national security adviser, Nikolai Patrushev, who believed that the West has been in an undeclared war with Russia for years, was a leading figure behind Russia's updated national security strategy, published in May 2021. It stated that Russia may use "forceful methods" to "thwart or avert unfriendly actions that threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation". File:Putin, Lavrov, Bortnikov, Naryshkin (2016-12-19).jpg|Putin with Sergey Lavrov, Alexander Bortnikov, and Sergei Naryshkin, 19 December 2016 File:Встреча Президента России Владимира Путина с главой компании «Роснефть» Игорем Сечиным.jpg|Igor Sechin (right) was often described as one of the closest siloviki to Vladimir Putin. His nickname is Darth Vader File:Meeting on the outcomes of the Russia-US summit.jpg|Putin briefs his inner circle on the outcomes of the Russia–United States summit in Anchorage, Alaska, 16 August 2025 ==See also==