Viktor Bondarev

Viktor Nikolaevich Bondarev
Viktor Nikolaevich Bondarev
	Viktor Bondarev in 2012
Native name	Виктор Николаевич Бондарев
Born	7 December 1959 (age 64); Voronezh, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Soviet Union (1977–1991); Russia (1991–2017)
Service/branch	Russian Air Force
Years of service	1977–2017
Rank	Colonel General
Commands held	Russian Air Force; Russian Aerospace Forces
Battles/wars	Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Awards	Hero of the Russian Federation; Order of Courage; Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR;

Viktor Nikolaevich Bondarev (Russian: Виктор Николаевич Бондарев; born 7 December 1959) is a Colonel General^[1] and former Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces (1 August 2015 – 26 September 2017), and the former Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force branch of the Aerospace Forces (6 May 2012 – 1 August 2015).^[2]^[3] He replaced Alexander Zelin, who was dismissed from the military on 27 April 2012.^[4]

Biography

Bondarev's career started off with his joining the Soviet Air Force in 1977. By 1981, he had graduated from the Boris Aviation Training Centre for flight crews in Borisoglebsk, and by 1992 had graduated from the Gagarin Air Force Academy. In 2004, he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff.^[5]

He was a squadron commander of the Boris Aviation Training Centre before becoming a deputy commander and senior pilot of the Attack Aviation Regiment, and as such, participated in the Soviet–Afghan War.^[5] He then became the commander of the 899th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment located in Buturlinovka, Voronezh; the regiment fought in the First and Second Chechen Wars. In 2000, he became the deputy commander, before being appointed the Commander in 2004, of the 105th Composite Air Division, 16th Army Air Force and Air Defense.^[5] From May 2006, he became the Deputy Commander of the 14th Army Air Force and Air Defense; he would become the Commander of the branch in June 2008.^[5]

In July 2011, Bondarev was appointed Chief of Staff–Deputy Commander of the Russian Air Force.^[5]

On 21 April 2000, via a presidential decree, Bondarev was named a Hero of the Russian Federation for engaging in military activities involving significant risks to his life.^[5]

Sanctions

Sanctioned by the UK government in 2022 in relation to Russo-Ukrainian War. ^[6]

References

^ "Официальное опубликование правовых актов в электронном виде". pravo.gov.ru. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
^ Cook, Brad (6 May 2012). "Medvedev Names Russian Navy, Air Force Heads on Last Kremlin Day". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
^ "Viktor Bondarev appointed Air Force commander" (Press release). Kremlin.ru. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
^ "Медведев назначил новых главкомов ВВС и ВМФ России" [Medvedev appointed a new commander in chief of the Air Force and Navy of Russia]. Lenta.ru. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Биография Виктора Бондарева [Biography of Victor Bondarev] (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.

Military offices
Preceded by Alexander Zelin	Commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force 2012–2015	Succeeded by Andrey Yudin (as Chief of the Air Force of the Russian Aerospace Forces)
Preceded by New creation	Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces 2015–2017	Succeeded by Sergei Surovikin