MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on awarding Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu the 1st Class Order of Merits to the Fatherland with swords, the Kremlin’s press office reported on Thursday.

"President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin congratulated Defense Minister of Russia Sergei Shoigu on his 65th birthday and signed a decree on awarding the defense chief the ‘For Merits to the Fatherland 1st Class’ Order with swords," the press office said in a statement.

Sergei Shoigu was born on May 21, 1955 in the town of Chadan in the Tuva ASSR (currently, the Republic of Tyva). In 1977, he graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute as construction engineer.

In 1991-1994, he headed Russia’s State Committee for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Clean-Up of Natural Disasters.

In 1994-2012, Shoigu served as Russia’s emergencies minister. Between May 11 and November 6, 2012, he held the post of the Moscow Region governor. On November 6, 2012, Shoigu was appointed as Russia’s defense minister.

Shoigu is army general, Hero of Russia, with a PhD in Economy.