Viktor Kulikov

Born July 5, 1921, in the village of Verkhniaia Liubovsha, now in Novodereven’kovskii Raion, Orel Oblast. Soviet military commander; general in the army (1970). Member of the CPSU since 1942. Son of a poor peasant.

Kulikov entered the Soviet Army in 1939. He graduated from a military infantry school in 1941, from the Higher Officers’ Tank School in 1947, from the M. V. Frunze Military Academy in 1953, and from the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1959. In the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), Kulikov served on the Southwestern, Kalinin, First Baltic, and Second Byelorus-sian fronts in various command positions in tank units. From February 1943 to May 1945 he was deputy chief and chief of staff of a detached tank brigade.

After holding various army command positions after the war, in May 1967 Kulikov was appointed commander of the troops of the Kiev Military District. In October 1969 he became commander in chief of the Soviet Group of Forces in Germany. In September 1971 he became chief of the General Staff of the armed forces of the USSR and first deputy minister of defense of the USSR. He has been a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU since 1971. He was a deputy to the seventh and eighth convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Kulikov has been awarded the Order of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, two Orders of the Patriotic War First Class, the Order of the Red Star, and various medals, as well as foreign orders and medals.