Former commander of the Southern Military District Dvornikov headed DOSAAF – Kommersant

Former commander of the Southern Military District, Alexander Dvornikov, was elected head of the organization at the VI Congress of the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation and Navy of Russia. He replaced Alexander Kolmakov in the position, reported press service DOSAAF.

The congress took place on January 30. It was attended by delegates from all constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The delegates unanimously supported the candidacy of Mr. Dvornikov. In addition, the congress unanimously supported the nomination of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a new presidential term, the organization said in a press release.

Mr. Kolmakov has been the chairman of DOSAAF since 2014. On May 10, 2023, his wife did not return from work. In the evening, Mr. Kolmakov received a call from a man who reported the kidnapping of his wife. He demanded a ransom of 1 million rubles. On May 12, police found Ms. Kolmakova, after which she returned to her family. Later suspected of extorting money from Mr. Kolmakova was detained and arrested.

62-year-old Alexander Dvornikov was commander of the Southern Military District troops from September 2016 to January 2023. In 2016, he was awarded the title Hero of Russia. Mr. Dvornikov took part in the Second Chechen War. From September 2015 to June 2016, he was the commander of the Russian Armed Forces group in Syria. In 2019, the European Union imposed sanctions against him. It is also sanctioned by Canada, the UK, Ukraine, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia.

In April 2022, BBC News, citing sources, reported that Mr. Dvornikov was appointed commander of Russian troops in Ukraine. At the end of June, Western media, including The Telegraph reported, citing sources, that Alexander Dvornikov was removed from command of the Russian group of troops on the territory of Ukraine. Reliable reports that Mr. Dvornikov appeared in the SVO zone could not be found. On January 11, 2023, Army General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, was appointed commander of the joint group of troops in the Northern Military District zone.

Erdni Kagaltynov