Nikolai Viktorovich Kormiltsev (Russian: Николай Викторович Кормильцев; born 14 March 1946) was Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces from 2001 to 2004, before being replaced by Alexey Maslov.

Nikolai Kormiltsev
Kormiltsev in 2004
Native name
Николай Викторович Кормильцев
Born (1946-03-14) 14 March 1946 (age 78)
Omsk, Soviet Union
Allegiance
Service / branch
Years of service1965–2004
RankArmy general
Commands
Battles / warsSoviet–Afghan War
Awards

Biography

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Kormiltsev was born on 14 March 1946 in Omsk, joining the Soviet Army in 1965 and graduating from the Omsk Higher Combined Arms Command School four years later. In 1978, he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy and became a deputy division commander. Kormiltsev later became the division commander, leading it during the Soviet–Afghan War. After returning from Afghanistan, he took command of a district training center in Omsk, part of the Siberian Military District.[1]

In 1990, Kormiltsev graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff, and became commander of the 36th Army Corps of the Turkestan Military District, which became the shortlived 52nd Army between July 1992 and May 1993. He was appointed to command the 5th Army in 1993.[2]

In November 1994, Kormiltsev became First Deputy Commander of the Transbaikal Military District, taking command of the district in September 1996. When in December 1998, by unifying the Siberian Military District and the Trans-Baikal Military District, a unified Siberian Military District was established with headquarters in Chita, Kormiltsev was appointed commander of the troops of this district. After the Main Command of the Ground Forces was abolished in 1997, he criticized the move and supported the recreation of the Main Command.[1]

In April 2001, the Main Command was reformed, and then-Colonel General Kormiltsev became Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces. He simultaneously became a deputy Minister of Defense. On 11 June 2003, he was promoted to Army General.[3] In October 2004, Kormiltsev resigned from his position as a result of a disagreement with Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov and Chief of the General Staff Yuri Baluyevsky over the next military reform.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Медведев поздравил генерала армии в отставке Кормильцева с 65-летием" [Medvedev congratulates retired Army General Kormiltsev on 65th birthday]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 14 March 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ^ Holm, Michael. "5th Combined Arms Army". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  3. ^ Profile via FBIS, Kormiltsev Biography, accessed September 2007
Military offices
Preceded by
Yuri Bukreyev
(as the Head of the Main Directorate)
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces
2001–2004
Succeeded by