Gennady Zhidko

Gennady Zhidko
Native name	Геннадий Валериевич Жидко
Birth name	Gennady Valeryevich Zhidko
Born	12 September 1965(1965-09-12)
Place of birth	Yangiabad, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union.
Allegiance	Soviet Union Russia
Service/branch	Russia Army
Years of service	1988–present
Rank	Colonel general
Commands held	Eastern Military District Deputy Minister of Defence
Awards	Hero of the Russian Federation

Gennady Valeryevich Zhidko ([Геннадий Валериевич Жидко] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: conflicting: |links= and |link= (help); born 12 September 1965) is a colonel general of the Russian Armed Forces. He was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2017 for his service as chief of staff of Russian forces deployed to Syria. Following this assignment, Zhidko commanded the Eastern Military District and headed the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces. In late May 2022, it was reported that Zhidko had been put in charge of Russian forces during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, replacing Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov.

Early life and education

Gennady Zhidko was born on 12 September 1965 in the village of Yangiabad in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

Graduating from the Tashkent Higher Tank Command School in 1987, Zhidko became a platoon commander in the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division.

Career

Volga-Ural Military District (1987-1997)

During Zhidko's service with the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division, part of the Volga and Volga-Ural Military Districts at Totskoye, Orenburg Oblast, Zhidko rose to divizion (artillery battalion) commander, was promoted to captain early, and then to colonel. He received awards for organizing fire training from the commander of the Ural Military District, by Colonel-General Alexander Baranov.

In 1997, Zhidko graduated from the Malinovsky Military Armored Forces Academy.

Tajikistan (2001)

Zhidko served as commander of the 92nd Motor Rifle Regiment of the 201st Motor Rifle Division in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 2001.

College of the General Staff (2007)

In 2007, Zhidko graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff.

North Caucasian Military District (2007-2009)

From August 2007 to July 2009, Zhidko was commander of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division of the North Caucasian Military District, based in Volgograd. During his tenure in this post, he continued the work of Major General Aleskandr Lapin to establish trusting relationships with military groups, improve combat and technical training. He also oversaw the beginning of the transition of the division from conscripts to contract servicemen.

Western Military District (2009-2011)

From July 2009 to January 2011, he was the Deputy Commander of the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Moscow, then Western Military Districts with headquarters in Voronezh. From January 2011 to January 2012 - Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District, based in Saint Petersburg. He participated in the formation of this unit, for his organizational skills he was noted by the commander of the 6th Army, Major General Yevgeny Ustinov, with the Commander of the Western Military District, Colonel-General Arkady Bakhin.

Central Military District (2015-2017)

From January 2015 to September 2016, he was Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army, and from September 2016 to November 2017 - Commander of the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District with headquarters in Samara. His army repeatedly took part in surprise exercises and checks, during which showed high combat readiness and mobility. During the Zapad-2017 military exercises, the army units were quickly deployed from Samara to the Kola Peninsula.

On 20 February 2016, he was promoted to the rank of major general.

A significant increase in the professionalism of military personnel was facilitated by the increased intensity of combat training, as well as the experience of participating in hostilities in Syria. […] The officers and soldiers under my command are proud of their service in the Russian army. With such personnel you can go into battle.

Major General Gennady Zhidko.

In December 2017, Major General Rustam Muradov took over as commander of the 2nd Combined Arms Army. A participant in the Russian military intervention in Syria, in 2016, Zhidko served as chief of staff of the group of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Syria. The unconventional and skillful command thinking of military adviser Zhidko was noted by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov.

Moscow command structure (2017-2018)

From 22 November 2017 to 3 November 2018, he was the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

On 11 June 2018, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.

Eastern Military District (2018-2021)

In November 2018, Zhidko was appointed commander of the Eastern Military District, replacing Alexander Zhuravlyov, who had transferred to the post of commander of the Western Military District, on 13 November, he was presented to the leadership at the district headquarters in Khabarovsk.

On 11 June 2020 Zhidko was promoted to colonel general.

Moscow command structure (2021-2022)

On 12 November 2021 Zhidko was appointed head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, a position included among the deputy ministers of defence. Zhidko replaced Andrey Kartapolov, who had retired from the army.

Russo Ukrainian war

On 26 May 2022, the Conflict Intelligence Team, citing Russian soldiers, reported that Zhidko had been put in charge of Russian forces during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, replacing Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov. It is still unclear who is in command of the Russian forces in Ukraine. However during a visit to Ukraine by Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu: “It appears to confirm that Colonel-General Gennady Zhidko is the commander.” According to Foreign Policy Research Institute.