# Viktor Chirkov > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Viktor_Chirkov > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Viktor_Chirkov.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Chirkov > Source revision: 1353338833 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Viktor Viktorovich Chirkov** (Russian: Виктор Викторович Чирков; born 8 September 1959)[1] is a Russian [admiral](/source/Admiral) and the former commander of the [Baltic Fleet](/source/Baltic_Fleet). On 6 May 2012, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the [Russian Navy](/source/Russian_Navy), succeeding [Vladimir Vysotsky](/source/Vladimir_Sergeyevich_Vysotsky), who had occupied the post for almost five years.[2][3] He retired from his position for health reasons in March 2016. ## Military career Chirkov is a surface warfare officer with [Pacific Fleet](/source/Pacific_Fleet_(Russia)) roots. He was born on 8 September 1959 in [Alma-Ata](/source/Alma-Ata), capital of the former Kazakh SSR. In 1982, he graduated from the [Pacific Higher Naval School](/source/Pacific_Higher_Naval_School) in Vladivostok and became head of the mine-torpedo department on the [Riga-class frigate](/source/Riga-class_frigate) *Lun* in the Pacific Fleet.[1] He served as assistant commander of a corvette, then executive officer of the [Kotlin-class destroyer](/source/Kotlin-class_destroyer) *Vozbuzhdennyy*.[1] In 1986-1987, Chirkov completed [Higher Special Officers’ Classes](/source/Higher_Special_Officer_Classes_of_the_Navy) in [Leningrad](/source/Leningrad), and became commander of the infamous [Krivak-class frigate](/source/Krivak-class_frigate) [*Storozhevoy*](/source/Soviet_frigate_Storozhevoy). Under a mutinous crew, this Soviet [Baltic Fleet](/source/Baltic_Fleet) unit had tried, unsuccessfully, to defect in 1975. Later it transferred to the Pacific Fleet. From 1990 to 1993, Chirkov commanded the [*Udaloy*-class destroyer](/source/Udaloy-class_destroyer) [*Admiral Spiridonov*](/source/Russian_destroyer_Admiral_Spiridonov).[1] He was deputy chief of staff for an ASW ship division, deputy division commander, and commander of an ASW ship division during 1993-1998. In 1997, he completed the [Kuznetsov Naval Academy](/source/N.G._Kuznetsov_Naval_Academy) as a correspondence student. After graduating from the [Military Academy of the General Staff](/source/Military_Academy_of_the_General_Staff_of_the_Armed_Forces_of_Russia) in 2000, Chirkov served for five years as chief of staff, first deputy commander of Troops and Forces in the North-East on [Kamchatka](/source/Kamchatka).[1] In the first years of this assignment, he served under Vice-Admiral [Konstantin Sidenko](/source/Konstantin_Sidenko). In 2005-2007, he commanded the [Primorskiy Mixed Forces Flotilla](/source/Primorskiy_Mixed_Forces_Flotilla). For the next two years, he was chief of staff, first deputy commander of the Baltic Fleet, and became its commander in September 2009. Since 2007, he was the Chief of Staff/First Deputy Commander of the Baltic Fleet, and appointed Fleet Commander by the [President of Russia](/source/President_of_Russia) [Dmitry Medvedev](/source/Dmitry_Medvedev) on 8 September 2009.[1] On 6 May 2012, President [Dmitry Medvedev](/source/Dmitry_Medvedev) on his last day in office prior to the inauguration of [Vladimir Putin](/source/Vladimir_Putin) appointed Chirkov to replace Vladimir Vysotsky as the Russian Navy's Commander-in-Chief. In an interview with news agency [RIA Novosti](/source/RIA_Novosti), Chirkov said: "*The most important thing for Russia is to build a fleet with the support of the president and like-minded persons.*"[2] In March 2014, as [Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy](/source/Commander-in-Chief_of_the_Russian_Navy), Chirkov also oversaw all naval operations with [Aleksandr Vitko](/source/Aleksandr_Vitko) who was then commander of the Russian [Black Sea Fleet](/source/Black_Sea_Fleet) during [Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula](/source/Annexation_of_Crimea_by_the_Russian_Federation) in which both the [Sevastopol Naval Base](/source/Sevastopol_Naval_Base) and [Southern Naval Base](/source/Southern_Naval_Base_(Ukraine)) were [seized](/source/Capture_of_Southern_Naval_Base) by Russian forces. ### Retirement In March 2016, Russian media announced Chirkov's retirement for health reasons. [Vladimir Korolev](/source/Vladimir_Korolev), then commander of the [Northern Fleet](/source/Northern_Fleet), was named as his successor. ## Awards - [Order of Military Merit](/source/Order_of_Military_Merit_(Russia)) - [Order of Naval Merit](/source/Order_of_Naval_Merit_(Russia)) - [Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR](/source/Order_for_Service_to_the_Homeland_in_the_Armed_Forces_of_the_USSR) III- class ## References 1. ["Viktor Chirkov"](http://eng.mil.ru/en/management/combatant_arms/more.htm?id=10339457@SD_Employee). *[Ministry of Defence](/source/Ministry_of_Defence_(Russia))*. Mil.ru. Retrieved 18 April 2013. 1. ["Medvedev Replaces Russian Navy Commander"](http://en.ria.ru/mlitary_news/20120506/173260767.html). *[RIA Novosti](/source/RIA_Novosti)*. En.rian.ru. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012. 1. Cook, Brad (6 May 2012). ["Medvedev Names Russian Navy, Air Force Heads on Last Kremlin Day"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-06/medvedev-names-russian-navy-air-force-heads-on-last-kremlin-day.html). [Bloomberg L.P](/source/Bloomberg_L.P.). Retrieved 7 May 2012. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Viktor Chirkov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Chirkov) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Chirkov?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.