Sergei Ivanov, Russia's ex-defense minister once seen as Putin's likely successor, has died at 73

Sergei Ivanov, a longtime Putin ally and former defense minister, has died at 73 — the Kremlin gave no cause and Putin sent condolences.
Once widely viewed as a likely successor to Putin in 2008, Ivanov was passed over for Dmitry Medvedev and later sidelined into lower-profile roles.
In recent years he was shifted to an honorary envoy post, stepped down earlier this year, and was among Russian officials hit by U.S. and EU sanctions over the Ukraine war.