Category Archives: Military Leadership

Unlikely Sacrifice

Posted on August 31, 2011 | 1 comment

Writing in Moskovskiy komsomolets, Mikhail Rostovskiy examines the possibility that the government might be shaken up, or ministers turned into political human sacrifices in the runup to the December 4 Duma election.

We’ve been on this topic before when Aleksey Makarkin tiptoed around it, examining only the possibility that Defense Minister Serdyukov or Health and Social Development Minister Tatyana Golikova might be sacrificed to appease angry Russian voters.

About Serdyukov’s chances, Rostovskiy writes:

“Victim No. 4.  They say that Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov is not liked very much by his subordinates.  On the other hand, they value him very much up above.  Here they believe that Serdyukov is achieving what his predecessor Sergey Ivanov couldn’t manage.  They say, for example, that under the current minister the real battle to introduce elementary administrative and financial order in the army began.  Therefore I would rate Anatoliy Serdyukov’s chances of surviving a ritual ministerial sacrifice as high.”

Is Serdyukov better than Ivanov?  Vote here.

Just to round it out, here’s Rostovskiy’s full list, from most to least likely to be sacrificed:

  1. Minister of Education and Science Andrey Fursenko
  2. Minister of Health and Social Development Tatyana Golikova
  3. Minister of Transportation Igor Levitin
  4. Minister of Defense Anatoliy Serdyukov
  5. Minister of Sports Vitaliy Mutko
  6. Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliyev
  7. Minister of Finance Aleksey Kudrin

What issues have brought Serdyukov political heat?

Most recently, the prime minister and government — Deputy PM, VPK Chairman, and Serdyukov predecessor Sergey Ivanov in particular — really want to tag the current defense minister with the GOZ-2011 mess.

The dustup between Serdyukov and the commander of the VDV training center at Seltsy last fall became a political faux pas for Anatoliy Eduardovich.

Last summer’s fires around military bases, and seemingly perpetual ammo dump explosions were and are weak points for the defense minister.

The bottom line is Serdyukov was always and remains part of Team Putin.  He’ll see his fifth anniversary on the job early next year.  What happens to him after the presidential election depends (obviously) on the outcome of the election.  But he will probably find himself with a bigger, better, possibly somewhat less troublesome portfolio.

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Posted in Civil-Military Relations, Military Leadership, Serdyukov's Reforms

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More Cadre Changes

Posted on August 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

President Medvedev’s Armed Forces personnel decree from August 26 retitled the colonels who train conscript soldiers in various specializations, made Colonel Konashenkov chief of the Defense Ministry’s press-service, dismissed General-Major Khokh and relieved Colonel Chumakov (both blamed in the 102nd Arsenal explosion and fire), and dismissed General-Lieutenant Skokov who was allegedly one of several dissatisfied senior officers sent into retirement this summer.  The latter seems a particular loss — Skokov had first-hand experience with army experiments in peacekeeping and contract service from his time in the Volga-Ural MD.

Appoint:

  • Colonel Eduard Stanislavovich Zavarzin, Chief, 467th District Training Center for the Training of Junior Specialists, Western MD, relieved as  Chief, 467th District Training Center for Training Junior Specialists (Tank Troops), Moscow MD.
  • Colonel Igor Yevgenyevich Konashenkov, Chief, Press-Service and Information Directorate, RF Ministry of Defense.
  • Colonel Vladimir Nikolayevich Lugovoy, Chief, 392nd District Training Center for Training of Junior Specialists, Eastern MD, relieved as  Chief, 392nd District Training Center for Training Junior Specialists (Motorized Rifle Troops), Far East MD.
  • Colonel Mikhail Yakovlevich Nosulev, Chief, 473rd District Training Center for the Training of Junior Specialists, Central MD, relieved as Chief, 473rd District Training Center for Training Junior Specialists (Motorized Rifle Troops), Volga-Ural MD.

Relieve:

  • Colonel Oleg Valeryevich Karpov, Chief, Rear Support Directorate, Central MD.
  • Colonel Leonid Vladimirovich Chumakov, Chief, Material-Technical Support Planning and Coordination Directorate, Central MD.
  • Colonel Andrey Ivanovich Yankovskiy, Commander, 23rd Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade, 2nd Guards Army.

Relieve and dismiss from military service:

  • General-Major Viktor Ivanovich Antonov, Deputy Chief of the Military Academy of Aerospace Defense named for Marshal of the Soviet Union G. K. Zhukov for Training and Scientific Work.
  • General-Lieutenant Viktor Georgiyevich Bychkov, Chief, Air Forces Military Training-Scientific Center “Air Forces Academy named for Professor N. Ye. Zhukovskiy and Yu. A. Gagarin.”
  • General-Major Vasiliy Andreyevich Dorogavtsev, Chief, Troop Training Directorate, Western MD.
  • General-Lieutenant Sergey Ivanovich Skokov, Chief, Main Staff, First Deputy CINC, Ground Troops.
  • General-Major Sergey Viktorovich Khokh, Chief, Technical Support Directorate, Central MD.

Dismiss from military service:

  • General-Major Vyacheslav Mikhaylovich Proshkin.
  • Rear-Admiral Aleksandr Gennadyevich Pushkarev.

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More Cadre Changes

Posted on July 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

This is the last of the backlogged Armed Forces personnel decrees.  It’s from March 2.  All presidential decrees on cadre changes are now reflected on these pages.  This one made General-Lieutenant Yevnevich an assistant to Defense Minister Serdyukov, and dismissed one General-Lieutenant Chaynikov, deputy chief of the 12th GUMO.

Appoint:

  • Colonel Dmitriy Valeryevich Kasperovich, Commander, 28th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade.
  • Colonel Valeriy Anatolyevich Korobkov, Chief, Signal Troops, Deputy Chief of the Main Staff of the Air Forces for Communications.
  • Colonel Aleksandr Valeryevich Linkov, Chief, Organization-Mobilization Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Central MD for Organization-Mobilization Work, relieved as Chief, Organization-Mobilization Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Far East MD for Organization-Mobilization Work.
  • Colonel Vladimir Aleksandrovich Makeyev, Chief, Radioelectronic Warfare Service, Central MD.
  • General-Lieutenant Oleg Vladimirovich Milenin, Deputy Commander, Eastern MD, relieved as Deputy Commander, 2nd Air Forces and Air Defense Command.
  • General-Major Yuriy Petrovich Petrov, Deputy Chief, Main Combat Training Directorate, Ground Troops, relieved as Chief, Combat Training Directorate, Siberian MD.
  • General-Lieutenant Valeriy Gennadyevich Yevnevich, Assistant to the RF Defense Minister, relieved as Chief, Main Combat Training and Troop Service Directorate, RF Armed Forces.
  • Colonel Vladimir Levontyevich Zharov, Deputy Commander of the Southern MD for Personnel Work, Chief, Personnel Work Directorate.
  • Rear-Admiral Aleksandr Andreyevich Zhuchkov, Chief, Naval Operational Art Department, “Naval Academy” Navy Training-Scientific Center, relieved as Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander, Primorskiy Mixed Forces Flotilla, Pacific Fleet.
  • Colonel Yuriy Yuryevich Kremlev, Chief of Communications, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, Southern MD.
  • General-Major Vladimir Viktorovich Maystrenko, Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander, 5th Army, relieved as Deputy Chief of Staff, North Caucasus MD.
  • Captain First Rank Sergey Nikolayevich Myasoyedov, Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander, Primorskiy Mixed Forces Flotilla, Pacific Fleet, relieved as Chief, Operations Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff, Pacific Fleet.
  • Captain First Rank Yuriy Ivanovich Orekhovskiy, Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet for Personnel Work.
  • General-Major Igor Anatolyevich Seritskiy, Chief of Staff, First Deputy Commander, 41st Army, relieved as Deputy Commander, 36th Army.
  • Colonel Viktor Georgiyevich Fedorenko, Chief, Radioelectronic Warfare Service, Southern MD.

* * *

Relieve:

  • Colonel Vadim Mikhaylovich Yezhov, Chief, Missile-Artillery Armaments Service, Volga-Ural MD.
  • Rear-Admiral Vladimir Mikhaylovich Reshetkin, Chief, Ship Maintenance and Repair Directorate, Deputy Chief, Technical Directorate, Navy.
  • Rear-Admiral Sergey Nikolayevich Streltsov, Chief of Staff for Armaments, First Deputy Chief of Shipbuilding, Armaments, and Arms Maintenance, Navy.
  • Rear-Admiral Igor Vladimirovich Vasilyev, Commander, Zaozersk [Zapadnaya Litsa] Submarine Base.
  • Colonel Yuriy Olegovich Shalimov, Commander, 35th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade.
  • General-Major Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Shamiyev, Chief of Communications, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, Far East MD.
  • Colonel Igor Viktorovich Shcherbakov, Chief of Armaments, Deputy Commander for Armaments, Operational-Strategic Command of Aerospace Defense.

* * *

Relieve and dismiss from service:

  • General-Lieutenant Vladimir Vasilyevich Chaynikov, Deputy Chief, 12th Main Directorate, RF Defense Ministry.

* * *

Dismiss from service:

  • General-Major Mikhail Dmitriyevich Galtsov.
  • General-Major of Medical Service Vladimir Anatolyevich Reshetnikov.

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Out With Central Apparatus Generals?

Posted on July 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

This morning’s Rossiyskaya gazeta repeated a lot of what’s known about the retiring generals’ troyka.  More interesting, however, are other statements and language it used to describe what’s going on in the Defense Ministry.

The article is subtitled, “Cadre Purge Begun in the Defense Ministry.”  An odd choice of words for something that’s been going on for some time, and is supposed to be routine and unsensational.

About Friday’s latest Armed Forces cadre ukaz, RG reports:

“In the Defense Ministry, they don’t conceal the fact that these aren’t the last cadre decisions which will affect highly-placed military leaders, particularly from the military department’s central apparatus.”

The paper repeats the rumor about possible uniformed opponents of Serdyukov’s (or Makarov’s) military reforms being shown the door as well as the contrary points and official denials.  Again, no sensation; all this was hashed over a week ago.

RG ends this way:

“Meanwhile, in the Defense Ministry they don’t exclude new dismissals.  The thing is right now in the Russian Army certification [аттестация] of all command personnel is going on, and, according to its decision, they will propose that a number of military leaders, who’ve served in Moscow more than five years, serve in more distant military districts.”

“As a source in the military department told RG’s correspondent, the majority of dismissal reports appear at once when they suggest a man change his duty in the capital for an equivalent one somewhere in Russia’s sticks.”

Yes, we know generals often prefer to retire in Moscow, get valuable permanent apartments in the capital, and enable their well-connected wives to keep lucrative employment rather than spend a few extra years serving in a possibly terminal post in Khabarovsk, etc. 

What we’re getting at here (again) is either (a) there really is something to Moskovskiy komsomolets’ report about drastically cutting uniformed officers in the central apparatus, or (b) RG was being lazy and reran a worn-out story using some loosely chosen verbiage.

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Posted in Military Leadership, Officer Corps, Serdyukov's Reforms

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Cadre Changes

Posted on July 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

In decrees published today, President Medvedev accepted the retirement of EW Directorate Chief, General-Major Oleg Ivanov.  Part of the “troyka” of retiring generals, he reportedly requested retirement for health reasons.  No official documents yet on the other two (Andrey Tretyak and Sergey Skokov). 

The press covered the news on General-Major Ivanov, but didn’t note the promotion of General-Major Bondarev to be Chief of the Main Staff, First Deputy CINC of the VVS.  

Bondarev was the Main Staff’s investigating officer in the case of Senior Lieutenant Sulim and the Lipetsk premium pay kickbacks.  The VVS and Defense Ministry must not be unhappy with his work, which consisted mainly of berating and pressuring the officers forced to pay tribute to their superiors.

In any event, the decrees . . .

Appoint:

  • General-Major Vladimir Aleksandrovich Filatov, Deputy Commander, 2nd Army.
  • General-Major Sergey Vasilyevich Chvarkov, Chief, Main Directorate for Personnel Work, RF Armed Forces, relieved as Deputy Chief, Military Art Department, Military Academy of the General Staff, RF Armed Forces.

Relieve and dismiss from service:

  • General-Major Oleg Anatolyevich Ivanov, Chief, Radioelectronic Warfare Troops, RF Armed Forces.
  • General-Major Aleksey Ivanovich Nesterov, Chief, 3rd Directorate, Main Organization-Mobilization Directorate, General Staff, RF Armed Forces.
  • General-Major Anatoliy Grigoryevich Predius, Chief of Military-Space Academy named for A. F. Mozhayskiy Branch (Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast).

Dismiss from service:

  • General-Major Yuriy Yuryevich Perminov.

* * *

Appoint:

  • General-Major Viktor Nikolayevich Bondarev, Chief of Main Staff, First Deputy CINC, Air Forces, relieved as Deputy CINC, Air Forces.
  • Colonel Vladislav Yevgenyevich Kharchenko, Chief, Radioelectronic Warfare Service, Eastern MD.

Dismiss from service:

  • General-Major of Justice Sergey Vladimirovich Devyatov
  • General-Major Vladimir Slavich Kostyuchenko.

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More on the Retiring General Troyka

Posted on July 13, 2011 | 1 comment

In yesterday’s Nezavisimaya gazeta, Sergey Konovalov followed up the story of the retiring generals — Andrey Tretyak, Sergey Skokov, and Oleg Ivanov.

Konovalov held to the main line of his earlier report.  He maintains the retirement of these Defense Ministry central apparatus officers has been “frozen.”  Without addressing the various explanations and denials in the media, he asks why three promising generals would want out early.  Finally, he repeats his earlier contention that the resignations could be a sign of “military opposition” to Defense Minister Serdyukov’s reforms.

Konovalov cites a highly-placed Defense Ministry source saying:

“Soon representatives of the Presidential Administration’s cadre organs will talk with the generals who requested discharge to find out the real reasons why young, promising leaders are retiring from the army.”

A law enforcement source tells NG that the Main Military Prosecutor has long questioned the Defense Ministry’s cadre policy:

“Competent officers are dismissed, meanwhile every kind of lawbreaker who’s had a run-in with military justice gets moved up to higher duties.” 

One general told NG that General-Lieutenant Sergey Surovikin — slated to head Russia’s new military police force — got one year of probation for trying to sell a pistol while attending the Frunze Military Academy.  The paper then lists some other, less prominent, cases of officers with shady or criminal backgrounds who’ve advanced through the ranks to higher posts.
 
NG’s sources claim the Defense Ministry’s cadre policy will soon undergo an analysis and evaluation by the PA’s cadre department.

The Defense Ministry’s PR blitz (as well as independent reporting) in the wake of the resignations blunted Konovalov’s assertion that the generals were quitting over disagreements with military reforms.  This article answered his question from earlier — his sources say the PA will investigate recent Defense Ministry personnel moves.  But one wonders how much time and attention President Medvedev’s people can devote to this with an agenda already full of political and domestic policy issues.

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Personnel Notes and Rumors

Posted on July 11, 2011 | 3 comments

According to his revised Mil.ru bio, Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Mokretsov will supervise the Armed Forces’ finances after all.

Last week Komsomolskaya pravda quoted Defense Minister Serdyukov saying General-Lieutenant Sergey Surovikin, Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of the Central MD, will head Russia’s new military police force this year.

Kommersant gave details on Surovikin’s background.  As a captain in August 1991, he was acting commander of the Taman division motorized rifle battalion responsible for the death of three Yeltsin supporters.  He was arrested and investigated for seven months before charges against him were lifted. 

As noted on these pages, he commanded the 34th MRD when one his colonels blew his brains out in front of the entire staff after an upbraiding from the commander.  And Surovikin had a very short tenure as Chief of the GOU. 

He seems an odd choice to be responsible for the army’s new enforcers of law and order.  To be in charge of those charged with preventing dedovshchina and other barracks violence.

Also last week, Vedomosti reported that Serdyukov has forwarded the name of Aleksandr Sukhorukov, Director of Rosoboronzakaz, to take over Vladimir Popovkin’s old armaments portfolio.  A little harder to believe, two other Vedomosti sources say Navy CINC, Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy might take the armaments job.

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Posted in Law, Order, and Discipline, Military Leadership

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Not Decembrists

Posted on July 8, 2011 | Leave a comment

Returning to the three generals’ resignations . . . the Defense Ministry press-service came out quickly denying any “scandalous” general officer discharges. 

The press-service said General-Lieutenant Andrey Tretyak, General-Lieutenant Sergey Skokov, and General-Major Oleg Ivanov requested discharges for health reasons at different times.  But it also indicated the Central Attestation Commission (TsAK, or ЦАК) is reassigning generals to duties in the military districts under Defense Minister Serdyukov’s policy of rotating officers through different posts, and away from Moscow in particular.

A Defense Ministry source told ITAR-TASS the generals’ discharges are not part of any mass dismissal of officers from the Defense Ministry’s central apparatus.

The press was skeptical about three young and vigorous generals suddenly seeking a medical discharge, and it focused on their intent to avoid undesirable reassignments.  Newsru.com and Moskovskiy komsomolets reported in this vein. 

A Defense Ministry source told news agencies one in three requests for early retirement involves officers who are being reassigned from Moscow to a military district post.  The source claimed these cases are usually incorrectly characterized as opposition to military reforms.  Tretyak himself told Interfaks his resignation is not connected with Armed Forces reforms or disagreements with the leadership.

Then Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov talked to Rossiyskaya gazeta, giving a version of events varying from the press-service’s initial report of  discharges for health reasons.

Pankov told the paper Skokov and Ivanov were offered several good options including troop command duties or General Staff Academy positions, but chose retirement.  In Tretyak’s case, health was the issue, according to Pankov.  And Pankov called any thought of them leaving over dissatisfaction with army reform “farfetched,” or dissatisfaction with General Staff Chief Makarov “utter stupidity.”

What did military commentators say?

In IA Regnum and Gazeta.ru, Anatoliy Tsyganok said the generals’ resignations show things aren’t quite right in the Defense Ministry, but also called reports of problems with Makarov a falsehood.  He said the incident shows it’s not just military retirees who bring attention to poorly thought out reforms.  At the same time, he doesn’t get the focus on Makarov when he just implements Serdyukov’s plans.

Also in Gazeta.ru, Aleksandr Khramchikhin asks where this ‘opposition’ to reform has been:

“But where were they earlier?  Reform’s already been going on for three years.”

Svpressa.ru wrote that no Decembrists remain in the army.  It quoted Konstantin Sivkov:

“The thing is in the Defense Ministry and Genshtab generally there are no longer any people capable of standing up for their opinion, if it diverges from the leadership’s viewpoint.  They still existed several years ago.  Recall General Rodionov, Ivashov.  They slowly disposed of them.  The only ones remaining are those who loyally hang on the words of the minister and Genshtab chief.  A negative selection has occurred.  And what remains . . .  Only those that agree with everything.”

Viktor Baranets told Vesti FM:

“The Genshtab chief proposed to all three figures that they leave Moscow, smell the powder a little, become greater practitioners.  My sources don’t deny that all of the generals’ troyka requesting retirement had relations with Makarov that weren’t very simple.  But all issues were decided behind closed doors, without cursing and throwing down reports [retirement requests] on the table.”

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Cadre Changes

Posted on July 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Network connection problems have made for a jumbled start to a new month . . . a couple decrees from President Medvedev today.

Current Defense Ministry Apparatus Chief, Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Mokretsov is relieved of this duty and becomes simply Deputy Defense Minister. 

This is a promotion since the Apparatus Chief has typically been kind of a quasi-deputy minister post.  Sometimes the Defense Minister’s head gatekeeper and paper-pusher has just been regarded as being in “the status of a deputy minister.” 

Mokretsov’s portfolio, however, isn’t clear.  Vladimir Popovkin’s armaments job, Vera Chistova’s finance duties, and Grigoriy Naginskiy’s construction post are all available.  And each could use an economist like Mokretsov.

The other decree.

Appoint:

  • General-Major Grigoriy Rostislavovich Tyurin, Commander, 35th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade, relieved as Commander, 205th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade.
  • General-Major Andrey Sergeyevich Ivanayev, Commander, 205th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade, relieved as Commander, 5th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade.
  • General-Major Artur Ionosovich Shemaytis, Commander, 74th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade, relieved of duty as Commander, 34th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade (Mountain).

Relieve:

  • Colonel Oleg Gennadyevich Maltsev, Chief, Automotive Service, Southern MD.
  • Colonel Aleksandr Semenovich Sanchik, Commander, 136th Guards Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade.

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General Resignation

Posted on July 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

Tomorrow’s Nezavisimaya gazeta reports Defense Ministry sources claim several young, promising generals have tendered their resignations because of problems with General Staff Chief, Army General Nikolay Makarov.  NG says they include Deputy General Staff Chief and Main Operations Directorate Chief, General-Lieutenant Andrey Tretyak, First Deputy Ground Troops CINC and Main Staff Chief, General-Lieutenant Sergey Skokov, and Genshtab Electronic Warfare Directorate Chief, General-Major Oleg Ivanov, and others.

The paper describes these guys as the Russian Army’s future leaders.  So why do they want to quit?  The reasons, unfortunately, haven’t been advertised (yet).

NG points out that, if Tretyak leaves, the GOU (the cerebral cortex of the “brain of the army”) will have its third chief in four years.  Skokov has been a key man working on automated C2 (YeSU TZ or ЕСУ ТЗ).  A “highly-placed” anonymous officer says it’s because of their disagreement with army reform steps taken by Makarov.  And explicitly not because of any problem with Defense Minister Serdyukov, whom they regard as an effective manager. 

They feel the Armed Forces, during Makarov’s tenure, have been in a provisional, experimental state, living on projects and according to unconfirmed directives (basic instructions and combat regs).  And after three years of “development,” the Genshtab Chief still can’t determine their final shape.  There are no confirmed decisions on service or branch TO&E structures, or their basing areas.  NG’s anonymous contact says the condition of the troops, and their “fantastic” combat training about which Makarov likes to talk, is “a fiction, which could be the topic of a separate conversation.”

The source implies time, money, and other resources have been wasted trying to develop automated C2 for old-fashioned, World War II-type operations.  And this is why Skokov requested his discharge.

NG’s sources believe this “scandal” will have political consequences.  The paper wonders whether President Medvedev will choose to get involved.  A source claims Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov is supposed to meet with the generals who want to quit, and discuss their problems with Makarov “from the point of view of the state’s interests.”

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Posted in Command and Control, Military Leadership, Serdyukov's Reforms, Training and Exercises

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