Viktor Chirkov
| Viktor Viktorovich Chirkov | |
|---|---|
 Vice-Admiral Viktor Chirkov at the Kremlin (February 2011) | |
| Native name | Виктор Викторович Чирков |
| Born |
September 8, 1957 Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR (now Almaty, Kazakhstan) |
| Allegiance |
 Soviet Union,  Russia |
| Years of service | 1974-present |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | |
| Awards | |
Viktor Viktorovich Chirkov (Russian: Виктор Викторович Чирков; born September 8, 1957, in Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR)[1] is a Russian admiral and the former commander of the Baltic Fleet. On 6 May 2012, he was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, succeeding Vladimir Vysotsky, who had occupied the post for almost five years.[2][3]
Entering the Navy in 1979, after graduating from the S.O. Makarov Higher Naval School in Vladivostok in 1982, Chirkov first posting was as the commander of mine-and-torpedo department of a Pacific Fleet frigate.[1] During the next several years, Chirkov would serve as the assistant commander of frigate before becoming executive officer of a destroyer.[1] In 1987, he was appointed executive officer of the frigate Storozhevoy after successfully completing the Navy Higher Special Officer Classes in Leningrad. In 1990, he became the commanding officer of the Udaloy I-class anti-submarine warship Admiral Spiridonov.[1]
In 2000, having completed the Military Academy of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, Chirkov was made the Chief of Staff/First Deputy Commander of the Northeast Group of Troops and Forces on Kamchatka.[1] Since 2007, he was the Chief of Staff/First Deputy Commander of the Baltic Fleet, and appointed Fleet Commander by the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on 8 September 2009.[1]
On 6 May 2012, President Dmitry Medvedev on his last day in office prior to the inauguration of Vladimir Putin appointed Chirkov to replace Vladimir Vysotskiy as the Russian Navy's Commander-in-Chief. In an interview with news agency RIA Novosti, Chirkov said, "The most important thing for Russia is to build a fleet with the support of the president and like-minded persons."[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Viktor Chirkov". Ministry of Defence. Mil.ru. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Medvedev Replaces Russian Navy Commander". RIA Novosti (En.rian.ru). 6 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ↑ Cook, Brad (6 May 2012). "Medvedev Names Russian Navy, Air Force Heads on Last Kremlin Day". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vladimir Vysotsky |
Commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy 2012–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| |||||||||||