Boris Snetkov

Boris Vasilievich Snetkov (Борис Васильевич Снетков; 27 February 1925 – 18 September 2006) was a Soviet Army and briefly Russian Ground Forces Army General.

Snetkov fought in World War II as a self-propelled artillery officer and during the Cold War rose to command positions.

Snetkov was born on 27 February 1925 in Saratov, and graduated from Pugachyov's School No. 2. He was drafted into the Red Army in 1942 and in October 1943 graduated from accelerated courses at the 2nd Kiev Self-Propelled Artillery School as a junior lieutenant.

As the advance westwards across Ukraine continued into the winter, he and his regiment fought in the Zhitomir–Berdichev Offensive and the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky Offensive as part of the 38th Army.

During the latter operation, on 26 January, his crew was reported by a superior to have engaged a German tank column of about 20 tanks and destroyed three, one of which was a Tiger, on the LipovetsRososhe road.

For this action, Snetkov received the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class, on 2 February.

After the end of the war in Europe, the 395th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment was transferred to the Far East for the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.

Snetkov became its chief of intelligence and assistant chief of staff for intelligence, and ended the war with the rank of captain.

Between 8 August and 3 September, the regiment fought in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria attached to the 5th Army, and on 8 September he received a second Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class, for providing crucial intelligence gained from reconnaissance to his unit.

In February 1944, his regiment was withdrawn from the front and converted into the 395th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment.

It was also reequipped with the updated ISU-152 self-propelled gun, one of which Snetkov became commander of.

Snetkov and his regiment did not return to the front until June 1944, where they became part of the 3rd Belorussian Front.

He was promoted to lieutenant around this time, and from late June, he fought in Operation Bagration, the Soviet strategic offensive that recaptured Belarus and eastern Poland.

Between 22 and 27 June, during fighting in the Bogushevsk area, Snetkov's crew was reported by a superior to have destroyed a self-propelled gun, two bunkers, and two anti-tank guns.

For this he received a second Order of the Red Star on 10 July.

The regiment, as part of the front, fought in the Baltic Offensive and the Gumbinnen Operation during the fall.

Snetkov became adjutant to the regimental commander, and was promoted to Senior Lieutenant.

From January 1945, the 395th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment fought in the East Prussian Offensive.

According to a report made by his regimental commander, Snetkov helped coordinate the entry of self-propelled guns into battle and often personally visited the front lines under heavy fire to pass on orders between 13 and 21 January.

Between 1946 and 1950, Snetkov was assistant chief of staff for operations of a regiment, and then entered the Military Academy of the Armored Forces, graduating in 1953.

Until 1965, he successively served as a regimental chief of staff, chief of a division's operations staff department, and commander of a tank regiment.

Between 1965 and 1966 Snetkov was chief of staff of a division, and in 1968 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff.

He commanded the 1st Guards Tank Army and served as first deputy commander of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany during the 1970s.

After graduating, Snetkov took command of a tank division in the Kiev Military District, and in May 1971 transferred to the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG) as chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 3rd Shock Army.

He was promoted to major general in 1972, and would serve in the GSFG for the better part of the decade.

He was appointed commander of the 1st Guards Tank Army in August 1973, after which he was promoted to lieutenant general in 1974, and became First Deputy Commander in July 1975.

He left East Germany to command the Siberian Military District in January 1979, and was promoted to colonel general that year, moving westwards again to lead the Leningrad Military District in November 1981.

Snetkov led the Siberian Military District and the Leningrad Military District in the 1980s and in 1987 became commander of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG), which in 1989 became the Western Group of Forces as the Cold War wound down.

On 7 May 1986, Snetkov was promoted to army general.

In November 1987, Snetkov was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the GSFG, which became the Western Group of Forces (WGF) in June 1989 when it was shifted to a defensive role.

During upheavals in East Germany during October and November, the WGF's troops did not intervene in the Leipzig Monday demonstrations and the Fall of the Berlin Wall as a result of orders given to Snetkov by the Soviet ambassador in East Germany, Vyacheslav Kochemasov, which were confirmed by the Soviet government.

Snetkov was removed from command of the group in December 1990 and transferred to the Group of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defense, before retiring in 1992.

As commander of an SU-152 self-propelled gun in the 9th Separate Guards Breakthrough Tank Regiment of the 1st Ukrainian Front's 38th Army, Snetkov saw his first combat west of Rozhiv in the Battle of Kiev on 25 November, during which his crew was reported by a superior to have destroyed a Tiger tank and two guns.

For his actions, Snetkov received the Order of the Red Star on 12 December.

On 15 January, the 2nd Battery commander's radio malfunctioned, leading to the battery getting lost.

Despite heavy German mortar fire, Snetkov was able to pass on orders to the battery, allowing it to fulfil its mission.

For these actions, he received the Medal "For Courage" on 20 February.

The regiment fought in the Battle of Königsberg and the Samland Offensive in the last weeks of the war.

Between 23 and 25 April in fighting around Pillau, Snetkov's battery destroyed a self-propelled gun, 9 guns, 8 bunkers, a mortar battery, and 15 machine gun positions.

For this action, he received the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, on 6 May.