Afzalov Appointed Commander-in-Chief of Russian Aerospace Forces, Says Source

In August 2018, Viktor Afzalov was appointed to the post of Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces. In December 2022, he was promoted to the rank of colonel general. Before his official appointment in his present position, Afzalov was acting on an interim basis.

Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov has been appointed commander-in-chief of Russia's Aerospace Forces, a source familiar with the situation told Sputnik.

"Col-Gen Viktor Afzalov has been appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Before his appointment, he was acting in this position on an interim basis," the source said.

His predecessor in this post was Army General Sergei Surovikin.

Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov is a graduate of the Pushkin Higher Military School of Air Defense Radio Electronics. In 2000 he graduated from the Air Defense Military University and in 2010 from the General Staff Military Academy. In July 2017, he was appointed Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Army of the Eastern Military District. In August 2018, he received the post of Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces. In December 2022, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel-General.

Afzalov was already commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces when Surovikin commanded the joint grouping of troops and forces in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine.