Commandant's Office of the Moscow Kremlin

History

After the RSFSR leadership moved to the Moscow Kremlin in 1918, the commandant's office immediately took over protection. Until January 1936 it was not part of the Red Army or NKVD command structure, instead reporting to the military department on the Rights of the sector of the Moscow Military District. On 28 January 1936 it was transferred from the People's Commissariat of Defense and renamed the Office of the Moscow Kremlin Commandant of the NKVD.

In early 1938 management of the Kremlin's museum complex passed to the Commandant's Office. At the start of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, personnel received the combat mission of protecting the Kremlin against Wehrmacht troops. Later, many personnel were awarded orders and medals by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. After the war, the office took on new tasks of ensuring security for state leaders.

On 14 March 1953 a new Ministry of Internal Affairs structure was approved with a central office. On 20 April 1955 the government decided on free public access to the Kremlin. Since 2004 the Presidential Regiment has been under the commandant's direction. The President of Russia has recently congratulated the office on its 75th, 90th and 100th anniversaries.

Commandant of the Moscow Kremlin

Military commandants have included Pavel Malkov (March 1918–April 1920), Sergey Shornikov (10 July 1967–11 September 1986), Gennady Bashkin (11 September 1986–22 August 1991), Mikhail Barsukov (10 December 1991–24 July 1995), Sergey Strygin (29 July 1995–January 2004), Lieutenant General Sergey Khlebnikov (January 2004–February 2020), and Major General Sergey Udovenko (since February 2020). Former commandant Sergey Khlebnikov was a member of the public council of the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo. The Commandant's Tower, named in the early 19th century when the Moscow Commandant resided in the Poteshny Palace near it, is one of the Kremlin towers.