The main political department was headed by Colonel-General Gennady Zhidko.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed the commander of the Eastern Military District, Colonel General Gennady Zhidko, Deputy Minister of Defense - Head of the Main Military-Political Directorate (GVPU) The Armed forces.
This was reported to Vedomosti by two sources in the military administration and confirmed by two sources close to the Ministry of Defense. The press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov did not respond to a request from Vedomosti.
"One of these days Zhidko has to hand over the commander's standard in the district and go from Khabarovsk to Moscow," the source said.
According to the official biography posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense, Zhidko was born in 1965. In 1987 he graduated from the Tashkent Higher Tank Command School. In 1997 – the Military Academy of Armored Forces. In 2007, he graduated with honors from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia. The interlocutor of Vedomosti in the Ministry of Defense calls Zhidko an "intelligent tankman."
Zhidko participated in military operations in Syria. In 2016, he headed the headquarters of the Russian group in this country and took direct part in the military operation against the international terrorist organization "Islamic State" (banned in Russia).
President Vladimir Putin awarded Zhidko the title of Hero of Russia in 2017.
