Valery Gerasimov

Hero of the Russian Federation
Valery Gerasimov
Hero of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov
Валерий Герасимов
	Official portrait, 2017
Chief of the General Staff
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 9 November 2012
President	Vladimir Putin
Minister	Sergei Shoigu
Deputy	Nikolay Bogdanovsky
Preceded by	Nikolay Makarov
Deputy Chief of the General Staff
	In office; 23 December 2010 – 9 November 2012
Chief	Nikolay Makarov
Preceded by	Alexander Burutin
Succeeded by	Nikolay Bogdanovsky
Commander of the Joint Group of Forces in the Special Military Operation zone
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 11 January 2023
Deputy	Sergey Surovikin; Oleg Salyukov; Alexei Kim
Preceded by	Sergey Surovikin
Personal details
Born	Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov; 8 September 1955 (age 68); Kazan, Tatar ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Alma mater	General Staff Academy
Profession	Soldier
Military service
Allegiance	Soviet Union (1973–1991); Russia (since 1991);
Branch/service	Soviet Army; Russian Ground Forces;
Years of service	1977–present
Rank	General of the Army
Commands	Central Military District; Moscow Military District; Leningrad Military District; 58th Army; 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division;
Battles/wars	Second Chechen War; Syrian Civil War; Russo-Ukrainian War Battle of Ilovaisk (August 2014); Battle of Izium (April 2022); 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive; ;
Awards	Hero of the Russian Federation; Order of Honour; Order of St. George (3rd and 4th Class);

Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov (Russian: Валерий Васильевич Герасимов, IPA: [vɐˈlʲerʲɪj vɐˈsʲilʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ɡʲɪˈrasʲɪməf]; born 8 September 1955) is a Russian army general serving as the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defence.

He was appointed by president Vladimir Putin on 9 November 2012 replacing Nikolay Yegorovich Makarov,^[5]^[6]^[7] and currently serves as the commander of all Russian forces in Ukraine. He is considered one of the most powerful men in Russia, and one of three people to hold access to Russia's nuclear weapons, alongside Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.^[8]

^ Cite error: The named reference decree was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Russian Army General Staff Chief Gerasimov, ten Russian military servicemen suspected of involvement in Ilovaisk tragedy - SBU". Kyiv Post. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
^ Gerasimova, Tanya (28 April 2022). "Russian Chief of General Staff Gerasimov Arrives in Kharkiv Region to Personally Command Offensive". Ukrainian News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
^ "Institute for the Study of War".
^ Cite error: The named reference kremlin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference bbc-profile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference mod-bio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "General Gerasimov, Russia's top soldier, appears for first time since Wagner mutiny". Reuters. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.

[decree-1] Cite error: The named reference decree was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[auto-2] "Russian Army General Staff Chief Gerasimov, ten Russian military servicemen suspected of involvement in Ilovaisk tragedy - SBU". Kyiv Post. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2016.

[auto1-3] Gerasimova, Tanya (28 April 2022). "Russian Chief of General Staff Gerasimov Arrives in Kharkiv Region to Personally Command Offensive". Ukrainian News. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.

[4] "Institute for the Study of War".

[kremlin-5] Cite error: The named reference kremlin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[bbc-profile-6] Cite error: The named reference bbc-profile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[mod-bio-7] Cite error: The named reference mod-bio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[8] "General Gerasimov, Russia's top soldier, appears for first time since Wagner mutiny". Reuters. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]