Aleksandr Sanchik | |
|---|---|
 Sanchik in 2020 | |
| Native name | Александр Семёнович Санчик |
| Birth name | Aleksandr Semyonovich Sanchik |
| Born | (1966-10-15)15 October 1966 (age 59)[1] |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union Russia |
| Branch | Soviet Army (to 1991) Russian Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 1985–present |
| Rank | Colonel general |
| Commands | Southern Military District Eastern Military District (acting) |
| Battles / wars | Russo-Ukrainian War |
Aleksandr Semyonovich Sanchik (Russian:Александр Семёнович Санчик; born 15 October 1966), is a Russian army officer who is currentlyDeputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation for Logistics and director of theLogistical Support of the Russian Armed Forces since November 2025.[2] He currently holds the rank ofcolonel general.
Sanchik had been the chief of staff and first deputy commander of theEastern Military District in 2023.[3] From May 2024 to November 2025, he was the acting, then de iure Commander of theSouthern Military District.[4] Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he isunder sanctions from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries.
Aleksandr Sanchik was born in Moscow on 15 October 1966.[1] From 1985 to 1989, he was a cadet of theTashkent Higher Tank Command Order of Lenin School named after twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Armored Forces P. S. Rybalko. In 2000, he graduated from theCombined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
From 2013 to 2014, Sanchik was the commander of the27th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade. From 2014 to 2015, he was the commander of the2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division. He served in theRussian military intervention in Syria. He held major command positions from tank platoon commander to commander of a combined arms army.
In 2015, he was a student at the Faculty of National Security and State Defense of theMilitary Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, which he graduated two years later. In 2017, he was the deputy commander of the58th Guards Combined Arms Army of theSouthern Military District. In September 2020, he became the commander of the35th Combined Arms Army of theEastern Military District. In May 2023, he became the chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Eastern Military District. From May to November 2024, Sanchik was the acting commander of the Eastern Military District.[5] In November 2024, he became the commander of theSouthern Military District.[6]
On 2 August 2022, due toRussia's invasion of Ukraine, Sanchik was included inCanada's sanctions list of "regime associates" as "involved in the unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine, including the Bucha massacre".[7][8]
On 13 December 2022, he came under British sanctions for being involved in missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.[9][10] On 25 February 2023, he was added to the sanctions list of all EU countries for supporting and carrying out actions that undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”[1] For similar reasons, he is under sanctions fromSwitzerland,Ukraine,Japan andNew Zealand.[11][12][13]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of the35th Combined Arms Army 2020–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of theEastern Military District 2023–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of theEastern Military District Acting 2023–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of theSouthern Military District 2024–present | Incumbent |