Vladimir Magomedovich Semyonov (russian: Владимир Магомедович Семёнов; krc, Семенланы Магометни джашы Владимир) (b. 1940) is a Russian
General of the army and the first president of the
Karachay–Cherkess Republic
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic (russian: Карача́ево-Черке́сская Респу́блика, ''Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika''; krc, Къарачай-Черкес Республика, ''Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika''; Cir ...
(1999–2003).
Biography
Semyonov was born on 8 June 1940
in the village of Khuzruk,
Karachayevsky District
Karachayevsky District (russian: Карача́евский райо́н; krc, Къарачай район, ''Qaraçay rayon''; kbd, Къэрэшей район) is an administrativeLaw #84-RZ and a municipalLaw #10-RZ district (raion), one of t ...
, and has an ethnic
Karachay
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situat ...
father and an ethnic Russian mother. He is a Sunni Muslim. He joined the Soviet Army in 1958. He completed the Baku military college in 1962, the
M. V. Frunze Military Academy
The M. V. Frunze Military Academy (russian: Военная академия имени М. В. Фрунзе), or in full the Military Order of Lenin and the October Revolution, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Academy in the name of M. V. Frunze (rus ...
in 1970 and the
General Staff Academy in 1979.
Career
He is a professional military commander. In 1988, Vladimir Semyonov was appointed as the head of the
Transbaikal Military District
The Transbaikal Military District (russian: Забайкальский военный округ) was a military district of first the Soviet Armed Forces and then the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed on May 17, 1935 and included the ...
. In 1991, he became a commander-in-chief of Soviet Land Forces and deputy minister of the Ministry of Defence. From 1992 to 1996 Vladimir Semyonov headed the
Russian Ground Forces
The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска ВSukhoputnyye voyska V}), also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the land forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
The primary responsibilities of the Russian Ground Forces ...
. He was dismissed from his post by the Russian Defence Minister
Igor Rodionov
Igor Nikolayevich Rodionov (russian: Игорь Николаевич Родионов; 1 December 1936 – 19 December 2014) was a Russian general and Duma deputy. He is best known as a hardline politician, and for his service heading the Defen ...
in 1996 but returned to duty in 1998 as Chief Military Adviser to the Minister of Defense of Russia.
In May 1999 he won the presidential elections in Karachay–Cherkessia which caused ethnic tension between
Karachays
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situa ...
and
Cherkesses. The tension was pacified without bloodshed. Vladimir Semyonov tried to solve socio-economic problems of the Republic but in vain. On August 31, 2003, he lost in the general election and left his post to
Mustafa Batdyyev.
Semyonov is married with one daughter.
External links
in Russian
References
1940 births
Living people
People from Karachayevsky District
Soviet colonel generals
Generals of the army (Russia)
Heads of Karachay-Cherkessia
Members of the Federation Council of Russia (1996–2000)
Frunze Military Academy alumni
Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union alumni
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner
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