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Sergei Sokolov (Marshal)

Sergei Sokolov
Серге́й Соколо́в
Sergey Sokolov.jpg
Minister of Defence
In office
22 December 1984 – 30 May 1987
Premier Nikolai Tikhonov
Nikolai Ryzhkov
Preceded by Dmitriy Ustinov
Succeeded by Dmitry Yazov
Full member of the 27th, 28th Politburo
In office
6 March 1986 – 29 August 1991
Personal details
Born (1911-07-01)1 July 1911
Yevpatoria, Russian Empire
Died 31 August 2012(2012-08-31) (aged 101)
Moscow, Russian Federation
Nationality Soviet/Russian
Other political
affiliations
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Awards Hero of the Soviet Union Orden of Honour.png
Military service
Allegiance  Soviet Union
Service/branch Soviet Army
Years of service 1932–1987
Rank Marshal of the Soviet Union
Battles/wars Battle of Lake Khasan,
World War II,
Soviet war in Afghanistan

Sergey Leonidovich Sokolov (Russian: Серге́й Леони́дович Соколо́в; 1 July 1911 – 31 August 2012) was a Soviet military commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, and served as Minister of Defence of the Soviet Union from 22 December 1984 until 30 May 1987.

Sokolov was promoted to Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1978. He was in charge of Soviet ground forces during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He personally led the main Soviet incursion of ground forces on the December 27, 1979. His actions and command strategies during the war made him one of the Soviet Union's most respected Marshals. On April 28, 1980 he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Sokolov was appointed Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union in 1984 and held this post until 1987, when he was dismissed by Mikhail Gorbachev as a result of the Mathias Rust affair. He was also a candidate (non-voting) member of the Politburo from 1985 to 1987.

From 1992, Sokolov was an advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. In July 2001, he became an honorary citizen of Crimea, Ukraine.

On turning 100 he stated, "Military service prestige will regain the importance it once had."

Sokolov died of undisclosed causes on 31 August 2012, at the age of 101. He was buried on 3 September with full military honors at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, next to his wife of 70 years, Maria Samojlovna Sokolova (19 December 1920 – 28 August 2012) who had predeceased him three days prior.


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