The Ministry of Defense confirmed the appointment of General Viktor Afzalov as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces

A few days after information appeared online that a new commander-in-chief had appeared in the Russian Aerospace Forces, the information was officially confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The website of the defense department says that Colonel General Viktor Afzalov has been appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

At the same time, there is a reference to the decree of the President, Supreme Commander of the RF Armed Forces Vladimir Putin, with the addition that the appointment was made in October - without specifying a specific date. Let us recall that for Viktor Afzalov the position was occupied by Sergei Surovikin, by whose name a number of Western and Ukrainian information resources now call the defense line (or rather several lines) built by Russian troops in the Zaporozhye region.

Viktor Afzalov is 55 years old and was awarded the rank of Colonel General in December last year.

In 1989, he graduated from the Pushkin Higher Military School of Air Defense Radioelectronics named after. Marshal Savitsky, in 2000 received a diploma from the Air Defense Military University, and 10 years later Viktor Afzalov graduated from the Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

It is noteworthy that Lieutenant General (this was the rank he had at that time) Viktor Afzalov at one time held the position of acting commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces. This happened in 2020, when Sergei Surovikin was on a business trip to Syria.

Among General Afzalov's awards are the Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Order of Military Merit.

Comments

[Lt. Air Force stock]

What about Surovikin? There was a video of him flying to Algeria, what is his position?

[Volodin]

Quote: Lt. air force reserve

What about Surovikin? There was a video of him flying to Algeria, what is his position?

At least not the commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces...

[Alex]

Why not a pilot again? Previously, the Air Force was strict about this.

[Sergej1972]

Because the Air Force is part of the Aerospace Forces. There is a commander of the Air Force and a deputy commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces.

[Vita vko]

Quote: Ralex

Why not a pilot again?

What would be "dumb and brave"?
This is dangerous in war conditions. Moreover, missile threats and UAV threats are now the main ones. Aviation has nothing to do with repelling them.

[bayard]

Quote: Ralex

Why not a pilot again? Previously, the Air Force was strict about this.

Because in addition to Aviation, the Aerospace Forces also include the Air Defense Forces (already merged with the Air Defense Forces) and the Space Forces. And who should control these heterogeneous overlapping branches of the military if not a representative of the Radio-Technical Air Defense Forces, which provides all of them with radar coverage of the situation in the air and near space? Only this branch of the military, represented by the RIC formations, has the most complete understanding of the work of all forces included in the Aerospace Forces. Pilots, air defense personnel and “cosmonauts” have rather one-sided knowledge and skills. And only for combat command and control officers, RTV air defenses are relatively universal. At the same time, the Air Force within the Aerospace Forces is controlled exclusively by pilots.
But to be honest, this is the first time I’ve seen someone from RTV Air Defense in such a high position.

[BABAY22]

Quote: bayard

And who should manage these heterogeneous overlapping branches of the military if not a representative of the Radio-Technical Air Defense Forces

If we logically continue, then the Air Force should be led not by a pilot, but by a navigator, because navigators have a complete picture of what is happening in the sky, and it is the combat control officer who directs the actions of the pilot.
This means that navigators should also be appointed regimental commanders.
----
As a result, we got an aviation regiment commander who saw the plane only in the picture.
About how!

[bayard]

Quote: BABAY22

As a result, we got an aviation regiment commander who saw the plane only in the picture.

And who do you think should head the Aerospace Forces, if this structure includes not only Aviation (all of it!), but also missile defense, including all early warning systems and a satellite constellation, as well as air defense troops, which includes not only air defense missile systems, but also radio television ... and before they had their own air defense fighter aircraft.
In addition, the Colonel General of the Aerospace Forces limited his military education not only to the Pushkin Military School of Air Defense, but probably also to the Academy of the Armed Forces and/or the Academy of the General Staff. So believe me, he definitely has enough competence for this position. I was also surprised by his basic military education (VU RTV Air Defense), but I appreciated it from the point of view of my life experience of serving in this branch of the military as a combat control officer. In addition, we should not forget that the Air Force itself within the Aerospace Forces is commanded by pilots.

[Sergej1972]

Correctly, air defense and missile defense troops are part of the Aerospace Forces. And no one combined them with the military air defense (air defense of the Ground Forces).

[denis88]

General Armageddon is missing.

[Amateur]

We don't need smart people. Faithful are needed
(Br. Strugatsky. “It’s hard to be a god”)

[Alexey Lantukh]

However, air defense is nearby!

[next322]

after the Minister of Defense - the head of a furniture store, this appointment is no longer surprising......

[Aleksandr58]

Well, let's see, let's see! Staff generals emerge, but their fighting qualities still need to be confirmed. There have been too many failures along the lines of the generals over the past 1,5 years, so we will sing praises based on the results.

[Hey]

Air defense is the doctrine of defense, Air Force is the doctrine of offensive, attack.
A commander with a defense mentality will not be able to organize offensive air operations. Once again, the Air Force will only be involved in defense. Throw bombs from over the horizon, shoot from a nose-up.

[Piramidon]

Quote: MUD

Air defense is the doctrine of defense, Air Force is the doctrine of offensive, attack.
A commander with a defense mentality will not be able to organize offensive air operations. Once again, the Air Force will only be involved in defense. Throw bombs from over the horizon, shoot from a nose-up.

Do you need cannon salvoes and free-falling cast iron to attack enemy positions from a dive?

[Neo-9947]

A commander with a defense mentality will not be able to organize

Sorry, I don’t want to draw analogies, but is the Ministry of Emergency Situations more likely to be “defense” or “offensive”?