MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to departing Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu for his work in modernizing the Russian Armed Forces.

"I would like to thank Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shoigu for all his efforts these past years, for building the armed forces, for modernizing them. I think we all agree that they are up to par with the requirements of today, the requirements of modern methods of armed struggle," the president said.

Putin added that Shoigu would now serve as Russian Security Council secretary. "This is a constitutional body that is formed by the president. Its task is to assist the head of state in leading the entire security component of the country," Putin explained.