| Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces | |
|---|---|
| Главнокомандующий Воздушно-космическими силами (Russian) | |
 Flag of the Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces | |
 Russian Aerospace Forces | |
| Member of | General Staff of the Armed Forces |
| Reports to | Chief of the General Staff |
| Appointer | President of Russia |
| Formation | 1 August 2015 |
| First holder | Viktor Bondarev |
| Deputy | Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force |
| Website | Official website |
The Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces (Russian: Главнокомандующий Воздушно-космическими силами, romanized: Glavnokomándujuščij vozdúšno-kosmíčeskij sílami) is the chief commanding authority of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The position was created in 2015, when the Russian Air Force, Russian Air and Missile Defence Forces and Russian Space Forces where placed under a unified command.[1] He is appointed by the President of Russia. The current commander is Colonel general Viktor Afzalov.[2]
List of Commanders[edit]
| No. | Portrait | Name (born–died) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 | Colonel general Viktor Bondarev (born 1959) | 1 August 2015 | 26 September 2017 | 2 years, 56 days | [3][4] | |
| – | Lieutenant general Pavel Kurachenko (born 1961) Acting | 26 September 2017 | 22 November 2017 | 57 days | [5] | |
| 2 | Army general Sergey Surovikin (born 1966) | 22 November 2017 | 22 August 2023 | 5 years, 273 days | [6][4] | |
| – | 
|
Colonel general Viktor Afzalov (born 1968) |
22 August 2023 | 20 October 2023 | 59 days | [7] |
| 3 | 20 October 2023 | Incumbent | 250 days | [8] | ||
References[edit]
- ^ Russia creates new Aerospace Force service branch Archived 2015-12-27 at the Wayback Machine, janes.com, 4 August 2015
- ^ "Генерал-полковника Афзалова назначили главкомом ВКС, сообщил источник" [Colonel-General Afzalov has been appointed commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces, a source said]. ria.ru (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ "Официальное опубликование правовых актов в электронном виде". pravo.gov.ru. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ a b Создатель военной полиции генерал Суровикин возглавит ВКС России Rossiyskaya Gazeta, 21 September 2017.
- ^ "Источник: врио главкома ВКС назначен генерал-лейтенант Павел Кураченко" (in Russian). TACC. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ Источники сообщили о смене командующего ВКС России RIA Novosti, 21 September 2017.
- ^ Andrew Osborn (23 August 2023). "Russia names new air force chief after mutiny-related disappearance of 'General Armageddon'". Reuters.
- ^ Jones, Gareth (27 October 2023). "Colonel-General Afzalov confirmed as chief of Russian aerospace forces - defence ministry". Reuters.