Vasily Ivanovich Petrov (Russian: Васи́лий Ива́нович Петро́в), (born 15 January 1917) in Stavropol Krai. He completed high school in 1935 and studied for two years at a teacher training institute until 1937. Petrov joined the army in 1939 and completed the lieutenant's course in 1941.
During World War II Petrov fought in the defence of Odessa, defence of Sevastopol and the Campaign in the Caucasus. Later he took part in the Liberation of the Ukraine and the invasion of Romania and the Budapest Offensive in Hungary
After the war Petrov completed the Frunze Military Academy and was promoted to Major General in 1961, Lieutenant General in 1965, Colonel General in 1970 and General of the Army in 1972. He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union in 1982.
Petrov was appointed Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1983. He commanded the Far East Military District in 1972-76 and served as Commander-in-Chief of Ground Forces in 1980-85. Since 1992 he was a military advisor to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.
Petrov also served as a military advisor to the Ethiopian army during the Ogaden War ref
Petrov is currently one of three living Marshals, and is the oldest.
Read more about Vasily Ivanovich Petrov: Honours and Awards
Famous quotes containing the word ivanovich:
“A man is like a suntan: at first he sticks to a woman, then he fades away.”
—Russian saying, trans. by Vladimir Ivanovich Shlyakov (1993)