Viktor Georgiyevich Kulikov (russian: Виктор Георгиевич Куликов; 5 July 1921 – 28 May 2013) was the

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republi ...

commander-in-chief from 1977 to 1989. He was awarded the rank of the

Marshal of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...

on 14 January 1977. Kulikov was born into a peasant family and joined the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...

in 1940. He saw service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and was made a

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...

. Kulikov commanded the

Kyiv Military District The Kiev Military District (; , abbreviated ) was a military district of the Imperial Russian Army and subsequently of the Red Army and Soviet Armed Forces. It was first formed in 1862, and was headquartered in Kiev (Kyiv) for most of its exi ...

in 1967–1969 and the

Group of Soviet Forces in Germany The Western Group of Forces (WGF),. previously known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG). and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG),. were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. The Group of Soviet Occupa ...

in 1969–1971. From 1971 until 1977, he served as the Chief of General Staff of the

Soviet Armed Forces The Soviet Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and as the Red Army (, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза), were the armed forces of the Russian SFSR (1917–1922), the Soviet Union (1922–1991), and t ...

. In 1983, he was awarded a Lenin Prize. Kulikov was a member of the Soviet/Russian parliament 1989–2003. He was awarded the highest

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

n award, the Order of Playa Girón in 2006. Kulikov died after an extended illness in 2013.

Honours and awards

;USSR and Russia *

(3 July 1981) *

Order of Merit for the Fatherland Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

; **2nd class II degrees (10 July 2001) - for outstanding contribution to strengthening national defence and an active law-making **3rd class (3 July 1996) - for services to the state and personal contribution to the development and reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation **4th class (23 June 2011) - a contribution to strengthening national defence and long-term public activities * Order of Military Merit * Order of Honour (5 July 2006) - for services to strengthen national defence and a lot of work on patriotic education of young people * Four

Orders of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...

(2 July 1971, 21 February 1978, 3 July 1981 and 19 February 1988) *

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...

, three times (26 October 1943, 20 July 1944 and 22 February 1968) *

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War (russian: Орден Отечественной войны, Orden Otechestvennoy voiny) is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisan ...

, 1st class, three times (7 September 1943, 12 May 1945 and 6 April 1985) *

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 ...

(26 October 1955) *

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

, 3rd class (30 April 1975) * Medal For Courage * Medal for Combat Service * Lenin Prize (1983) * An individual weapon - a gun (on retirement in 1992) ;Foreign awards * Order of Sukhbaatar (Mongolia, 1981) *

Patriotic Order of Merit The Patriotic Order of Merit (German: ''Vaterländischer Verdienstorden'', or VVO) was a national award granted annually in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was founded in 1954 and was awarded to individuals and institutions for outstanding ...

, 1st class (GDR, 1981) *

Star of People's Friendship The Star of People's Friendship (german: Stern der Völkerfreundschaft), Star of Nations' Friendship, was an order awarded by the German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Ge ...

, 1st class (GDR, 1985) *

Scharnhorst Order The Scharnhorst Order ( or ) was the highest medal awarded to members of the East German National People's Army (NVA). It was given for services to military or other strengthening of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Established on 17 Februa ...

, three times (GDR, 1972, 1986, 1987) * Order "For Service to the Motherland and the people", 1st class (GDR, 1970) *

Order of Georgi Dimitrov The Order of Georgi Dimitrov (or Order of Georgy Dimitrov, bg, Орден Георги Димитров) was the highest award of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. It was instituted on 17 June 1950 and awarded to Bulgarians and foreigners for out ...

(Bulgaria, 1984) * Order "The People's Republic of Bulgaria", 1st class (1974) * Commander's Cross with Star of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievemen ...

(Poland, 1973) * Order Banner IRR with diamonds (Hungary, 1975) *

(Hungary, 1985) * Order "For Military Valour", 1st class (NRW, 1983) * Order of the Victorious February (Czechoslovakia, 1985) * Order "For Military Merit", 1st class (Peru, 1972) * Order "On 23 August", 1st class (CPP, 1974)

References

External links