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Valery Gerasimov
Valery Gerasimov (2012-11-09) cropped
Native name Вале́рий Васи́льевич Гера́симов
Born 8 September 1955(1955-09-08) (age 69)
Place of birth Kazan, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
Allegiance Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union
Flag of Russia Russia
Service/branch Banner of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (obverse) Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Years of service 1977 — present
Rank General of the Army[1]
Awards Order of Military Merit
Merit for Motherland (4th grade)
Merit for Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces (3rd grade)

Valery Vasilevich Gerasimov (Russian: Вале́рий Васи́льевич Гера́симов; born 8 September 1955) is the current Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, and first Deputy Defence Minister, replacing Nikolay Makarov. He was appointed by President Vladimir Putin on 9 November 2012.[2][3][4]

Education[]

Born in Kazan, he graduated from the Kazan Suvorov Military School (1971-1973), the Kazan Higher Tank Command School named after the Supreme Soviet of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1973-1977), the Malinovsky Military Academy of Armored Forces (1984-1987), and the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia (1995-1997).[4]

Commands[]

After graduating from the Kazan Higher Tank Command School Gerasimov was the commander of a platoon, company and battalion of the Eastern Military District. Later he was chief of staff of a tank regiment and then of a motorized rifle division in the Baltic Military District.[4] From 1993 to 1995 he was the commander of a motorized infantry division in the North Western Force.[4]

After he graduated from the General Staff's academy he was First Deputy Army Commander in the Moscow Military District and commander of the 58th Army in the North Caucasus Military District during the Second Chechen War.[4] His involvement in the arrest of Yury Budanov led to praise from journalist Anna Politkovskaya.[3][4]

In 2006 he became commander of Leningrad Military District and moved to be the commander of Moscow Military District in 2009 and Central Military District in April 2012. On 23 December 2010 he became deputy Chief of the General Staff.[4]

May 2011 Parade - beginning

General Gerasimov leading a Victory Day parade in Moscow, May 9, 2011

He ran the Victory Day parades in Moscow for four times: 2009 to 2012.[3]

Appointment[]

Gerasimov was appointed Chief of General Staff following the dismissal of Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov on 6 November 2012.[5] The previous Chief of General Staff, Army General Nikolay Makarov, was seen as close to Serduykov and was seen by commentators as likely to be replaced by new Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu. It has been reported that Makarov resigned, but he was formally dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. Other changes were the dismissal of Alexander Sukhorukov from the position of First Deputy Defence Minister and his replacement by Colonel General Arkady Bakhin, formerly commander of the Western Military District. Aerospace Defence Forces commander Colonel General Oleg Ostapenko was also promoted to Deputy Defence Minister. He was Currently Promoted as the General of the Army as of 2013.[2][5][6][7][8]

Awards[]

Gerasimov has been awarded a number of medals including Order of Military Merit, Merit for Motherland (4th grade) and Merit for Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces (3rd grade).[4]

Personal life[]

He is married and has a son.[9]

References[]

  1. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 20 февраля 2013 года № 151 "О присвоении воинских званий высших офицеров военнослужащим Вооруженных Сил Российской Федерации"" (in Russian). Presidential Decree of 20 February 2013 No. 151 "On conferring military rank of senior officers of the armed forces. Kremlin.ru. 21 February 2013. http://pravo.gov.ru:8080/page.aspx?35936. Retrieved 24 February 2013. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "New appointments at Defence Ministry". Kremlin.ru. http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/4604. Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Profile: Russia's new military chief Valery Gerasimov". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20270111. Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 "Valeriy Gerasimov". Russian Ministry of Defence. http://eng.mil.ru/en/management/deputy/more.htm?id=11113936@SD_Employee. Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Big army reshuffle: Head of the General Staff replaced". RT. http://rt.com/politics/chief-staff-makarov-army-306/. Retrieved 11 November 2012. 
  6. Gorenburg, Dmitry. "The firing of Anatoly Serdyukov". Russian Military Reform. http://russiamil.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/the-firing-of-anatoly-serdyukov/. Retrieved 11 November 2012. 
  7. "Personnel changes at Defence Ministry". Kremlin.ru. http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/4603. Retrieved 11 November 2012. 
  8. "Putin Appoints New Chief of General Staff". RIA Novosti. http://en.ria.ru/mlitary_news/20121109/177326370.html. Retrieved 11 November 2012. 
  9. "Валерий Васильевич Герасимов" (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. http://www.gazeta.ru/tags/gerasimov_valerii.shtml. Retrieved 11 November 2012. 
Military offices
Preceded by
Nikolay Yegorovich Makarov
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
2012-current
Succeeded by
Incumbent
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