Mikhail Zaitsev
| Mikhail Zaitsev | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
23 November 1923 Zadowski Chutor, Russia |
| Died | 22 January 2009 (aged 85) Moscow, Russia |
| Nationality | Soviet |
| Political party | Communist Party of the Soviet Union |
| Profession | Soldier |
| Awards |
  (2) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Soviet Union
|
| Service/branch | Soviet Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1992 |
| Rank | Army General |
| Commands | Group of Soviet Forces in Germany |
| Battles/wars |
Great Patriotic War Soviet war in Afghanistan |
Mikhail Mitrofanovich Zaitsev (Russian: Михаи́л Митрофа́нович За́йцев); (also transliterated as Zaytsev) born 23 November 1923 in the village of Zadowski Chutor (Tula Oblast), died 22 January 2009 in Moscow, was a general of the Soviet Army. Zaitsev's principal commands were the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany and the southern military districts of the Soviet Union.
Zaitsev was born into a peasant family and attended middle school before volunteering for the Soviet Army in 1941. In May 1942, Zaitsev was transferred to the combat arms and served as a staff officer in the 113th Tank Brigade and later the 7th Guards Tank Corps. He was transferred to the headquarters of the 6th Guards Tank Corps. Zaitsev took part in the battles of Kursk and Berlin, as well as major Soviet operations such as Lvov-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, and the drive on Prague. Zaitsev ended his wartime service assigned to the 1st Ukrainian Front.
Following the war, Zaitsev served in a variety of staff assignments that built upon his expertise with armored forces and warfare. He commanded a tank division in 1965 and the 5th Guards Tank Army in 1969. He held command of 5th Guards Tank Army from 2.12.69 - 11.8.72. In May 1976, he became commander of the Belorussian Military District. In 1980, he was transferred to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and became commander of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG) on 22 October 1980, a position he held until 6 July 1985. Zaitsev was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on 22 November 1983. Zaitsev's priorities for GSFG included training that stressed the use of individual initiative by junior officers.
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