MOSCOW. April 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Colonel General Viktor Shemetov has taken the office of chief-of-staff and first deputy commander of the Moscow military district, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
Shemetov was born in the Kursk region in 1950, the spokesman told Interfax-Military News Agency. He graduated from the Moscow Higher Joint-Arms Command College in 1971, Frunze Military Academy in 1984, and General Staff Academy in 1994. He held command positions in various military districts, commanded a regiment, a division, and an army. From 1999 to the transfer to the Moscow military district, Shemetov was chief-of-staff and first deputy commander of the Far Eastern military district.
According to the spokesman, Shemetov was replaced in the Far East by Lieutenant General Valery Gerasimov, former commander of the 58th army headquartered in Vladikavkas, internal republic of North Ossetia.
Gerasimov graduated from the Kazan Higher Tank Command College, command department of the Armored Troops Academy, and General Staff Academy. During the anti-guerilla operation in the North Caucasus, Gerasimov headed the Southern federal troops group and supervised the military operation against guerillas in the vicinity of Bamut.
Major General Viktor Sobolev has been appointed commander of the 58th army. Prior to his current appointment, he served as a deputy army commander in the Siberian military district.