Sergei Leonidovich Sokolov (born ) is a Soviet military commander.

Sokolov served in the Battle of Lake Khasan

Battle of Lake Khasan

The Battle of Lake Khasan and also known as the Changkufeng Incident in China and Japan, was an attempted military incursion of Manchukuo into the territory claimed by the Soviet Union...

 during the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars

Soviet-Japanese Border Wars

The Soviet–Japanese Border Wars were a series of border conflicts between the Soviet Union and Japan between 1932 and 1939.Before Japanese occupation of Manchukuo, the Soviet Union had conflict with China on the border of Manchuria...

 and also served on the Eastern Front

Eastern Front (World War II)

The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

He was Commander of the Leningrad Military District

Leningrad Military District

The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:...

 from 1965 to 1984 and First Deputy Defense Minister from 1967 to 1984.

Sokolov was promoted to Marshal of the Soviet Union

Marshal of the Soviet Union

Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....

 in 1978. He was in charge of Soviet ground forces during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Soviet war in Afghanistan

The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...

. He personally led the main Soviet incursion of ground forces on the December 27, 1979. His actions and command strategies during the war made him one of the Soviet Union's most respected Marshals. On April 28, 1980 he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union

Hero of the Soviet Union

The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...

.

Sokolov was appointed Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union in 1984 and held this post until 1987, when he was dismissed by Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...

 as a result of the Mathias Rust

Mathias Rust

Mathias Rust is a German aviator known for his illegal landing on May 28, 1987 near Red Square in Moscow. As an amateur pilot, he flew from Finland to Moscow, being tracked several times by Soviet air defence and interceptors...

 affair. He was also a candidate (non-voting) member of the Politburo from 1985 to 1987.

Sokolov has been an advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation since 1992. In July 2001, he became an honorary citizen of Crimea

Crimea

Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...

, Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

.

Sergei Sokolov is currently the oldest living Soviet Marshal. On his centenarian birthday he stated, "Military service prestige will regain the importance it once had."

Honours and awards

Russia and Soviet Union

• Hero of the Soviet Union
  Hero of the Soviet Union
  The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
  
   (28 April 1980) - for personal courage and the management of troops, manifested in the provision of international assistance to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
• Order of Merit for the Fatherland
  Order of Merit for the Fatherland
  The Order of Merit for the Fatherland was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree. The statutes describe it as a decoration for merit, not an order of knights....
  
  , 2nd class (21 June 2001) - for outstanding contribution to strengthening national defense and active in the patriotic education of young people; 3rd class (30 June 1996) - for services to the state and personal contribution to the development and reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation; 4th class (2 November 2009)
• Order of Alexander Nevsky
  Order of Alexander Nevsky
  The Order of Alexander Nevsky is an order of merit bestowed by the Russian Federation. It is named in honour ofAlexander Nevsky's struggle with the Teutonic Knights....
  
   (23 June 2011) - contribution to strengthening national defense and long-term public activities
• Order of Honour (1 July 2006) - for services to strengthen national defense and work on the patriotic education of youth
• Order of Zhukov
  Order of Zhukov
  The Order of Zhukov is military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was established by presidential decree on 9 May 1994. The order is named after Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov...
  
   (25 April 1995) - for actions in the leadership of the troops in combat operations during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945
• Three Orders of Lenin (30 June 1971, 28 April 1980, 30 June 1986)
• Order of the Red Banner
  Order of the Red Banner
  The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
  
  , twice (20 April 1953, 22 February 1968)
• Order of Suvorov
  Order of Suvorov
  The Order of Suvorov is a Soviet award, named after Aleksandr Suvorov , that was established on July 29, 1942 by a decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This decoration was created to award senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations...
  
  , 1st class (6 May 1982)
• Order of the Patriotic War
  Order of the Patriotic War
  The Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known by the former-Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War.- History :The Order was...
  
  , 1st class (6 April 1985)
• Order of the Red Star
  Order of the Red Star
  Established on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
  
  , twice (14 January 1943, 6 November 1947)
• Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 3rd class (30 April 1975)
• Medal of Valour
• Medal for Combat Service
  Medal for Combat Service
  The USSR Medal for Combat Service was a Soviet military medal awarded for "combat action resulting in a military success", "courageous defense of the state borders", or "successful military and political training and preparation".It was created on October 17, 1938 by the decision of the Presidium...
  
  
• Medal "In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin"
• Distinguished Service in Guarding the State Border
  Distinguished Service in Guarding the State Border
  The Distinguished Serive in Guarding the State Border was a USSR military medal, created on July 13, 1950. It was awarded to all border troops, servicemen and civilians for outstanding military deeds related to state frontier security. A gold medal was awarded, on the same basis, exclusively to...
  
  
• Medal for defense of the Soviet Arctic
• Medal For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945
• Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "Forty Years of Victory in Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "50 Years of Victory in Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "60 Years of Victory in Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Jubilee Medal "65 Years of Victory in Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy"
• Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
• Medal "50 Years of the USSR Armed Forces"
• Medal "60 Years of the USSR Armed Forces"
• Medal "70 years of Soviet Armed Forces"
• Medal "For meritorious service», 1st class
• Order of Saint Blessed Prince Dimitry Donskoy great, 2nd classe (Russian Orthodox Church, 2005)

Afghanistan

• Order of the Red Banner (1982)
• Order of the Saur Revolution (1984)

Bulgaria

• Order of Georgi Dimitrov, twice (1985, 1986)
• Order "The People's Republic of Bulgaria» I degree (1974)
• Medal "25 Years of the Bulgarian People's Army" (1969)
• Medal "30 Years of Victory over Fascism" (1975)
• Medal "30 Years of the Bulgarian People's Army" (1974)
• The medal "For Strengthening Brotherhood in Arms" (1977)
• Medal "100 years of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke" (1978)
• The medal "90th anniversary of the birth of Georgi Dimitrov" (1974)
• Medal "100th Anniversary of Birth of Georgi Dimitrov" (1983)
• Medal "1300 years Bulgaria" (1982)
• Medal "40 Years of Victory over Fascism" (1985)

Hungary

• Order of the Flag of the Hungarian Republic, with rubies (1986)
• Medal "For military cooperation», 1st class (1980)

Vietnam

• Order of Ho Chi Minh (1985)
• Order "For Military Valor», 1st class (1983)

East Germany

• Order of Karl Marx
  Order of Karl Marx
  The Order of Karl Marx was the most important order in the German Democratic Republic . Award of the order also included a prize of 20,000 East German marks....
  
   (1986)
• Medal "Brotherhood in Arms" (1980)
• Medal "30 Years of the National People's Army" (1986)

Jordan

• Order of Independence, 1st class (1977)

North Korea

• Medal "40 years of Korea's liberation" (1985)

Cuba

• National Order of Playa Giron (1986)
• Medal "20 Years of Revolutionary Armed Forces" (1978)
• Medal "30 Years of Revolutionary Armed Forces" (1987)

Mongolia

• Order of Sukhbaatar, twice (1971, 1986)
• Order of the Red Banner (1982)
• Medal "30 Years of Victory over Japan" (1976)
• Medal "30 Years of Victory in Khalkhin-" (1969)
• Medal "40 Years of Victory in Khalkhin-" (1979)
• Medal "50 Years of the Mongolian People's Revolution" (1972)
• Medal "60 Years of the Mongolian People's Revolution" (1982)
• Medal "50 Years of the Mongolian People's Army" (1971)
• Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the MPR" (1982)

Poland

• Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, 2nd class (1985)
• Order of Polonia Restituta, 2nd and 3rd classes (1968, 1971)

Romania

• Order of Tudor Vladimirescu, 1st class (1969)
• Order "23 August" (1974)
• Medal "30 Years of Liberation from Fascism Romania" (1974)
• The medal "For Military Merit" (1980)

Czechoslovakia

• Order of Klement Gottwald
  Order of Klement Gottwald
  The Order of Klement Gottwald was established by the Czechoslovak government in February 1953. The original name of the Order was "Order of building of socialist homeland"...
  
   (1985)
• Medal "For the strengthening of friendship in Arms», 1st class (1972)
• Medal "40 Years of the Slovak National Uprising" (1985)
• Medal "50 Years of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia" (1971)

Finland

• Order of the White Rose of Finland, 1st class (1986)

In July 2001, the day of his 90th birthday, was awarded the title "Honorary krymchanin" and an honorary citizen of Evpatoria.

External links

Biography