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Vasyl Sobkov | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Василь Тимофійович Собков |
| Birth name | Vasyl Tymofiyovych Sobkov |
| Born | (1944-10-29)29 October 1944 |
| Died | 1 April 2020(2020-04-01) (aged 75)[1] |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Rank | Colonel general |
| Commands | Carpathian Military District (1992-1994) |
| Battles / wars | Soviet-Afghan War |
Vasyl Tymofiyovych Sobkov (Ukrainian: Василь Тимофійович Собков; 20 October 1944 - 1 April 2020), was an officer of theSoviet and laterUkrainian Armed Forces, who had served as the DeputyMinister of Defense from 1994 to 1998.
Sobkov also served as the commander of theCarpathian Military District in post-independence Ukraine from 1992 to 1994. In 1992, Sobkov served as theChief of the General Staff — First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
Vasyl Sobkov was born on 20 October 1944 to a family of peasants. After graduating from theKazan Tank Command School in 1966, he served in the troops of theCarpathian Military District, where he held the positions of tank platoon commander, tank company, training platoon, and training company. After graduating in 1977 from theMilitary Academy of Armored Forces named after Marshal of the Soviet Union R. Ya. Malinovsky, he was sent for further service to theGroup of Soviet Forces in Germany, where he held the positions of chief of staff - deputy commander, then commander of a tank regiment and deputy commander of a tank division. In 1984, he graduated from theK. E. Voroshilov Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, and was appointed commander of a motor rifle division in the troops of theTranscaucasian Military District, then from 1987 to 1989, he was the commander of an army corps in theTurkestan Military District.
From 1989 to 1991 Sobkov served as commander of the6th Guards Tank Army in theKiev Military District, and in May 1991 he was commander of the2nd Guards Tank Army, as part of theWestern Group of Forces, reaching the rank of lieutenant general in the Soviet Armed Forces.[2]
On 4 June 1992, Sobkov was appointedChief of the General Staff - 1st DeputyMinister of Defense,[3] but on 25 September of the same year he was transferred to the post of commander of the Carpathian Military District instead of Lieutenant GeneralValeriy Stepanov, who had led the district for only a few months.[4] On 31 December, by Decree of the President of Ukraine, Sobkov was promoted to a colonel general.[5] On 7 April 1994, he was appointed the first, after the creation of the position,Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces - Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine.[6]
On 30 September 1998, after the resignation of Army GeneralValeriy Hubenko from the post of Inspector General of theGeneral Military Inspectorate under the President of Ukraine [uk], Sobkov was appointed to this post,[7] and in the post of Commander of the Ground Forces he was replaced by Colonel GeneralPetro Shulyak, who at one time replaced him and as commander of the Carpathian Military District.[8] On 16 November 2004, by decree of the President of Ukraine,Leonid Kuchma, he was dismissed from military service due to his health.[9]
Colonel General Vasyl Tomofiyovych Sobkov died on 1 April 2020 in Kyiv.[10] He was buried on 3 April 2020, at theBaikove Cemetery.[11]
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| Ukrainian People's Republic (1918–1921) |  | |
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| Ukraine (since 1991) | ||
*Acting Chief | ||