Commanding officer of the Russian Air Force
The Commander of the Russian Air Force (Russian : Командующий ВВС , romanized : Komanduyushchiy VVS ) is the chief commanding authority of the Russian Air Force . Before 2015, when the former branch became an arm of the Russian Aerospace Forces , the title was Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force (Russian : Главнокомандующий ВВС , romanized : Glavnokomanduyushchiy VVS ). The holder of the office is appointed by the President of Russia .
The position dates to the Russian Revolution in 1917.
List of Commanders
Chief of the Air Service of the Russian Republic
No.
Portrait
Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
1 Tkachov, Vyacheslav Lieutenant colonelVyacheslav Tkachov (1885–1965) 9 June 1917 19 November 1917 5 months
2 Ulyanin, Sergey Major generalSergey Ulyanin (1871–1921) 19 November 1917 March 1918 3 months
Chief of the Air Force of the Red Army
No.
Portrait
Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
1 Solovov, Mikhail ColonelMikhail Solovov [ru ] (1879–1941) March 1918 1 August 1918 5 months
2 Solovov, Mikhail ColonelAlexander Vorotnikov [ru ] (1878–1940) 1 August 1918 13 June 1919 10 months
3 Akashev, Konstantin ColonelKonstantin Akashev (1888–1931) March 1920 February 1921 11 months
4 Sergeyev, Andrey ColonelAndrey Sergeyev (1893–1933) February 1921 October 1922 1 year, 8 months
5 Znamensky, Andrey ColonelAndrey Znamensky [ru ] (1887–1943) October 1922 July 1923 9 months
6 Rosengolts, Arkady ColonelArkady Rosengolts (1889–1938) July 1923 December 1924 1 year, 5 months
7 Baranov, Pyotr ColonelPyotr Baranov (1892–1933) December 1924 June 1931 6 years, 6 months
8 Alksnis, Yakov Komandarm 1st rankYakov Alksnis (1897–1938) June 1931 23 November 1937 6 years, 5 months
9 Loktionov, Alexander Aleksandr Loktionov (1893–1941) 23 November 1937 19 November 1939 1 year, 11 months
10 Smushkevich, Yakov Lieutenant GeneralYakov Smushkevich (1902–1941) 19 November 1939 August 1940 8 months
11 Rychagov, Pavel Lieutenant GeneralPavel Rychagov (1911–1941) August 1940 24 June 1941 10 months
12 Zhigarev, Pavel Colonel generalPavel Zhigarev (1900–1963) 24 June 1941 11 April 1942 9 months
13 Novikov, Alexander Chief marshal of the aviationAlexander Novikov (1900–1976) 11 April 1942 22 April 1946 4 years
Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Air Force
No.
Portrait
Commander-in-Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Ref.
1 Vershinin, Konstantin Marshal of the aviationKonstantin Vershinin (1900–1973) 1946 September 1949 2–3 years .
2 Zhigarev, Pavel Chief marshal of the aviationPavel Zhigarev (1900–1963) 1949 1957 7–8 years .
3 Vershinin, Konstantin Chief marshal of the aviationKonstantin Vershinin (1900–1973) 1957 1969 11–12 years .
4 Kutakhov, Pavel Chief marshal of the aviationPavel Kutakhov (1914–1984) March 1969 3 December 1984 † 15 years .
5 Yefimov, Alexander Marshal of the aviationAlexander Yefimov (1923–2012) 3 December 1984 July 1990 5 years .
6 Shaposhnikov, Yevgeny Colonel generalYevgeny Shaposhnikov (1942–2020) July 1990 August 1991 1 year [ 1]
Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Independent States' Air Force
No.
Portrait
Commander-in-Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Ref.
1 Deynekin, Pyotr Colonel generalPyotr Deynekin (1937–2017) 25 August 1991 19 August 1992 237 days[ 2]
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force
No.
Portrait
Commander-in-Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Ref.
1 Deynekin, Pyotr Army generalPyotr Deynekin (1937–2017) 19 August 1992 22 January 1998 5 years, 156 days[ 2]
2 Deynekin, Pyotr Army generalAnatoly Kornukov (1942–2014) 22 January 1998 21 January 2002 3 years, 364 days[ 3]
3 Deynekin, Pyotr Army generalVladimir Sergeyevich Mikhaylov (born 1943) 21 January 2002 9 May 2007 5 years, 108 days.
4 Zelin, Alexander Colonel generalAlexander Zelin (born 1953) 9 May 2007 27 April 2012 4 years, 354 days.
5 Bondarev, Viktor Colonel generalViktor Bondarev (born 1959) 6 May 2012 1 August 2015 3 years, 87 days[ 4]
Commander of the Air Force – Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces
No.
Portrait
Commander
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Ref.
1 Yudin, Andrey Lieutenant generalAndrey Yudin [ru ] (born 1962) 1 August 2015 c. July 2019[ a] 3 years, 11 months [ 8]
2 Dronov, Sergey Lieutenant generalSergey Dronov (born 1962) c. July 2019[ a] 24 July 2024 ~5 years [ 9] [ 10]
3 Kobylash, Sergey Lieutenant generalSergey Kobylash (born 1965) 24 July 2024 Incumbent 5 months [ 11]
Notes
^ a b No official date given for Yudin leaving office. Estimated between 28 June 2019[ 5] and 9 July 2019.[ 6] Dronov appointed Commander on 18 April 2019.[ 7]
References
Commanders (since 2015) Commanders-in-Chief (until 2015)
Chiefs of the air force by country
Africa
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