Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Berzin (russian: Александр Александрович Берзин; born 18 March 1946) is a retired officer of the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

and Russian navies. He reached the rank of

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

and received the title of

Hero of the Russian Federation Hero of the Russian Federation (russian: Герой Российской Федерации, Geroy Rossiyskoy Federatsii), also unofficially Hero of Russia (russian: link=no, Герой России, Geroy Rossii), is the highest honorary title ...

during his career.

Biography

Berzin was born on 18 March 1946 in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

, in what was then the

Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...

, in the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

. Orphaned at an early age, he was raised by relatives in

Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...

in the

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Azerbaijan ( az, Азәрбајҹан, Azərbaycan, italics=no), officially the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR; az, Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы, Azərbaycan Sovet Sosialist R ...

, attending the Nakhimov Naval School in Leningrad and graduating with a silver medal in 1965. He went on to study at the

Frunze Higher Naval School The Peter the Great Naval Corps - St. Petersburg Naval Institute (), formerly known as the M.V. Frunze Higher Naval School (named after Mikhail Frunze, in ), is the oldest of the Russian Navy's naval officer commissioning schools. It is located i ...

, graduating in 1970 and joining the Northern Fleet for service on submarines. He served aboard the ''K-418'' between July 1970 and November 1975, and completed the in 1976. His next post was as senior assistant commander of the ''K-487'' between July 1976, and January 1980, before he took over his first command, the ''K-216''. This was followed by command of , between September 1981 and September 1983. Berzin studied at the Grechko Naval Academy between 1983 and 1985, becoming chief of staff and deputy division commander of a submarine flotilla after his graduation, and in November 1987, taking command of the . He was promoted to

on 5 June 1989, and in July 1990 became first deputy commander of the 3rd Submarine Flotilla. He undertook a number of Arctic voyages during his career aboard submarines, and between 15 July and 12 August 1994 led an expedition of nuclear submarines to the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...

as part of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy. On 4 January 1995 he was awarded the title of

. In November 1994, Berzin took up the position of head of the department of operational art at the Kuznetsov Naval Academy, and in 1995 graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia. He has written various academic works, becoming a Candidate of Military Sciences in 1997, and an associate professor in 1999. Berzin retired from active service in November 2001 and settled in Saint Petersburg, working at the Central Research Institute of Shipbuilding Technology, and serving as president of the . Over his career he has received various awards and honours, including the

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

in 1989, the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" third class in 1982, and second class in 1991.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berzin, Aleksandr 1946 births Living people Military personnel from Moscow Russian admirals Heroes of the Russian Federation Soviet admirals N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy alumni Recipients of the Order of the Red Star Recipients of the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", 2nd class Recipients of the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", 3rd class

Biography

See also

References