Annual December promotions used to mark the adoption of the RF’s first post-Soviet constitution on December 12, 1993. The two are less often linked now, perhaps because an increasing number of basic citizen’s rights exist only on paper.
Maybe also because Putin rammed through the constitutional amendment restarting his “two term” limit and allowing him to be president until 2036 — basically 36 years in power (Medvedev’s interlude notwithstanding).
Be it as it may, we have the December military promotions list.
In a new wrinkle, Defense Minister Shoygu had 14 of 24 promotees on hand to accept new shoulderboards in the atrium of the RF National Defense Command and Control Center (NTsUO).
KZ covered the event.
The RF MOD got three three-stars, six two-stars, and 15 one-stars (including four rear-admirals). Putin’s National Guard got just two one-stars. Here’s the December 8 promotion decree.
The new general-colonels included:
- Yunis-Bek Yevkurov, Deputy Minister of Defense and once President of Ingushetia.
- Mikhail Teplinskiy, Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander, Central MD.
- Andrey Yudin, Deputy CINC of Aerospace Forces.
New lieutenant-generals:
- Anatoliy Kontsevoy, Deputy Commander of VDV.
- Aleksandr Maksimtsev, zampolit of Aerospace Forces.
- Andrey Mordvichev, new commander of 8th CAA, Southern MD.
- Yaroslav Moskalik, Deputy Chief, Main Operations Directorate, General Staff.
- Viktor Novozhilov, Deputy Chief, NTsUO.
- Valeriy Solodchuk, commander of 36th CAA, Eastern MD.
Most of these officers waited a while for a third or second star: Teplinskiy — 7 years; Yudin — almost 7; Kontsevoy — 8; Maksimtsev — 6 and a half; Mordvichev — 8 and a half; and Solodchuk — almost 8.
Teplinskiy still looks like a contender for a future MD command when one opens up, but he faces significant competition (Kuzovlev, possibly Kuralenko).
Mordvichev is only 45, so he was a general-major at roughly 37.
RIAN says this is him (it probably is). But he looks more worn than his 45 years.
New general-majors and rear-admirals included the:
- Chief, Main Computing Center, RF Armed Forces.
- Chief, National Nuclear Weapons Storage Site Voronezh-45.
- Chief, National Nuclear Weapons Storage Site Vologda-20.
- Chief, Organization-Mobilization Directorate, Southern MD.
- Commander, 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division.
- Deputy Chief of Staff for Reconnaissance, Central MD.
- Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander, 20th CAA, Western MD.
- Chief, RKhBZ Troops, Central MD.
- Chief, Operations Directorate, Pacific Fleet.
- Commander, Moskva CG, Black Sea Fleet.
- Chief, Shipbuilding Directorate, RF Navy.
Four one-stars couldn’t be identified in a post.
At 47, COS / FDC of the 20th CAA General-Major Andrey Pyatayev might be pretty young still if and when he gets an army of his own.
Pyatayev with General-Lieutenant Aleksandr Yevteyev (now deceased) in 2016.
Russian Defense Policy 