Team VKO is taking shape according to Kommersant. Last fall, President Medvedev, of course, ordered the establishment of a unified VKO. Since then, it’s become clear that Space Troops (KV) Commander, General-Lieutenant Oleg Ostapenko would head it.
And KV will be the base for the new service [vid or вид]. According to the Genshtab plan, VKO will unite all PVO and PRO systems. And it will control the current KV, Moscow-based OSK VKO, and PVO units from the Air Forces.
The paper’s Defense Ministry source says VKO’s top officers have been identified, and paperwork was sent for Medvedev’s signature last month. So expect a decree soon.
General-Lieutenant Valeriy Ivanov will be in charge of PVO and PRO for VKO. He’s a 50-year-old career SAM officer, who commanded PVO divisions or corps in the Far East, Volga, and Moscow MDs. From 2007-10, he commanded the Far East’s 11th AVVSPVO. He became commander of the OSK VKO about this time last year.
General-Major Oleg Maydanovich is a 47-year-old KV missile engineer who will head VKO’s space monitoring. He has long service at Plesetsk and Baykonur, and has been chief of both. He’s now chief of Russia’s space systems testing and control center.
Colonel Andrey Ilin will be chief of the VKO’s command and control post at Krasnoznamensk. He served many years at the space tracking post in Shchelkovo. He’s been chief of staff at Plesetsk since last year.
Russian Defense Policy 