List of communications ministers of Russia


This list of ministers of communications of Russia contains the names of the people who held this position in the Russian Empire, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the Soviet Union and the modern Russian Federation.

Russian Empire

Postal Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

The Postal Department of the Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Empire was formed by the Highest registered decree on November 9, 1819.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Alexander Golitsyn
November 9, 1819October 22, 1830

In 1830, it was transformed into the Postal Department of the Russian Empire.

Postal Department of the Russian Empire

It was formed as a ministry in 1830 with separation from the Ministry of the Interior.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Alexander Golitsyn
October 22, 1830March 27, 1842
Vladimir Adlerberg
March 27, 1842January 1, 1857
Fedor Pryanishnikov
January 1, 1857January 1, 1863
Ivan Tolstoy
January 1, 1863June 15, 1865

On June 15, 1865, it was transformed into the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs of the Russian Empire.

Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs

It was established on June 15, 1865, by combining the Postal Department and the Telegraph Unit separated from the Ministry of the Interior.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Ivan Tolstoy
June 25, 1865September 21, 1867
Alexander Timashev
December 14, 1867March 9, 1868

On March 9, 1868, it was abolished, the Postal and Telegraph Departments were created as part of the Ministry of the Interior.

Postal and Telegraph Departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Formed on March 9, 1868, instead of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs. Both departments were headed by Ivan Velio, then Gubaidulla Chingizkhan, who was also the director of the Department of Railways of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Ivan Velio
June 21, 1868August 6, 1880
Gubaidullah Chingizkhan
August 1, 1876August 6, 1880

On August 6, 1880, they were transferred to the reconstituted Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs.

Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs

It was re-established on August 6, 1880, from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs of the Ministry of the Interior.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Leo Makov
August 6, 1880March 16, 1881

On March 16, 1881, it was again divided into the Postal and Telegraph Departments, which became part of the Ministry of the Interior.

Telegraph Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

It was founded on March 16, 1881.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Karl Lueders
March 16, 18811882
Nikolay Bezak
August 31, 1882May 22, 1884

On May 22, 1884, it was merged with the Postal Department of the Ministry of the Interior into the Main Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs of the Ministry of the Interior.

Postal Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

It was founded on March 16, 1881.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Stepan Perfiliev
March 16, 1881March 1, 1882
Peter Morozov
1883May 22, 1884

On May 22, 1884, it was merged with the Telegraph Department of the Ministry of the Interior into the Main Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs of the Ministry of the Interior.

Main Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

It was established on May 22, 1884, at the merger of the Postal and Telegraph Departments of the Ministry of the Interior.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Nikolay Bezak
May 22, 1884July 22, 1895

Nikolay Petrov
July 31, 1895January 3, 1903

Evgeny Andreevsky
January 3, 1903December 1903

Peter Durnovo
September 16, 1904December 5, 1904
Mikhail Sevastyanov
December 5, 1904October 1, 1913
Vladimir Pokhvisnev
October 1, 1913February 28, 1917

Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic

Ministry of Communications

It was founded on January 3, 1955.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Alexey CherenkovJanuary 18, 1955April 18, 1963

It was abolished in 1963.
It was re-formed in 1979.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Gleb Baytsur
September 17, 1979
June 15, 1990
June 15, 1990
July 14, 1990

On July 14, 1990, it was transformed into the Ministry of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic for Communications, Informatics, and Space. However, no amendment was made to the Law of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic "On the Council of Ministers of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic".

Ministry of Communications, Informatics and Space

It was established on July 14, 1990, on the basis of the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Vladimir Bulgak
July 14, 1990November 10, 1991

On November 10, 1991, the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was restored.

Ministry of Communications

Established on November 10, 1991, on the basis of the Ministry of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic for Communications, Informatics and Space.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Vladimir Bulgak
November 10, 1991December 25, 1991, or May 16, 1992

On December 25, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic adopted a law on the renaming of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic into the Russian Federation. On April 21, 1992, the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic approved the renaming, introducing corresponding amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, which entered into force on May 16, 1992.

Soviet Union

People's Commissariat of Posts and Telegraphs

It was founded on July 6, 1923.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Ivan Smirnov
July 6, 1923November 12, 1927
Artemy Lyubovich
November 12, 1927January 16, 1928
Nikolay Antipov
January 16, 1928March 30, 1931
Alexey Rykov
March 30, 1931January 17, 1932

On January 17, 1932, it was renamed the People's Commissariat of Communications of the Soviet Union.

People's Commissariat of Communications

It was formed on January 17, 1932, by renaming the People's Commissariat of Posts and Telegraph of the Soviet Union.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Alexey Rykov
January 17, 1932September 26, 1936
Genrikh Yagoda
September 26, 1936April 3, 1937
Innokenty Khalepsky
April 5, 1937August 16, 1937
Matvey Berman
August 16, 1937December 24, 1938
Victor Yartsev
December 24, 1938May 10, 1939
Ivan Peresypkin
May 10, 1939July 22, 1944
Konstantin Sergeychuk
July 22, 1944March 15, 1946

On March 15, 1946, it was transformed into a ministry of the same name.

Ministry of Communications

It was founded on March 15, 1946, from the People's Commissariat of the same name.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Konstantin Sergeychuk
March 19, 1946March 30, 1948
Nikolay Psurtsev
March 30, 1948September 3, 1975
Nikolay Talyzin
September 3, 1975October 24, 1980
Vasily Shamshin
October 24, 1980July 11, 1989
Erlen Pervyshin
July 11, 1989December 26, 1990
Gennady Kudryavtsev
March 2, 1991
August 28, 1991
August 28, 1991
November 26, 1991

It was liquidated on December 26, 1991, in connection with the termination of the existence of the Soviet Union.

Russian Federation

Ministry of Communications

On March 17, 1997, it was transformed into the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Communications and Informatization.

State Committee of Communications and Informatization

It was established on March 17, 1997, on the basis of the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Alexander Krupnov
March 25, 1997May 25, 1999

On May 25, 1999, it was transformed into the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Telecommunications.

State Committee of Telecommunications

It was formed on May 25, 1999, on the basis of the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Communications and Informatization.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Alexander Ivanov
June 1, 1999August 27, 1999
Leonid Reiman
August 27, 1999November 12, 1999

On November 12, 1999, it was transformed into the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Communications and Informatization.

Ministry of Communications and Informatization

It was established on November 12, 1999, on the basis of the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Telecommunications.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Leonid Reiman
November 12, 1999March 9, 2004

On March 9, 2004, it was merged with the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation into the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Russian Federation.

Ministry of Transport and Communications

It was established on March 9, 2004, when the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Communications and Informatization and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation merged.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Igor Levitin
March 9, 2004May 20, 2004

On May 20, 2004, it was divided into the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the Russian Federation.

Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications

Established on May 20, 2004, under the division of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Russian Federation.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Leonid Reiman
May 20, 2004May 12, 2008

On May 12, 2008, it was transformed into the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.

Ministry of Communications and Mass Media

It was established on May 12, 2008, on the basis of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the Russian Federation.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Igor Shchegolev
May 12, 2008May 21, 2012
Nikolay Nikiforov
May 21, 2012May 15, 2018

On May 15, 2018, it was renamed the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media.

Ministry of Digital Development, Telecommunications and Mass Media

Formed on May 15, 2018, by renaming the Ministry of Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation.
NameDate of taking officeDate of removal from office
Konstantin Noskov
May 18, 2018January 21, 2020
Maksut Shadaev
January 21, 2020Present