Alexander Zhuravlyov

Colonel General Alexander Alexandrovich Zhuravlyov (Александр Александрович Журавлёв) is a Russian Ground Forces officer who has commanded the military force in Syria during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War and currently serves as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff. He was also awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2016 by a directive of the President.

Biography
He was born in the town of Golyshmanovo, in the Tyumen Oblast, in 1965. In 1982, Zhuralvyov finished secondary schooled and joined the Soviet Army. He graduated from the Chelyabinsk Higher Tank Command School in 1986 and the Marshal of the Soviet Union Malinovsky Armored Forces Academy in 1996. Finally, in 2008 Zhuravlyov graduated from the General Staff Academy. During his service, he was stationed in Czechoslovakia (1986–1991), the Volga (1991–1994), Far Eastern (1994–2006), North Caucasus (2008–2008), Central (2010–2015), and Southern Military Districts (since 2015). He has served as the chief of staff of the 58th Army and as commander of the 2nd Guards Tank Army before being transferred to the Southern Military District in 2015. Promoted to lieutenant general in 2014.

In July 2016, Lieutenant General Alexander Zhuravlyov was appointed as the commander of the Russian military forces in Syria, replacing Colonel General Alexander Dvornikov. He held this post until December 2016, when he was replaced by Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov. For his service in Syria he was given the title of Hero of Russia.

Since leaving Syria, Zhuravlyov was promoted to colonel general and appointed Deputy Chief of General Staff. He met with the Vice Chief of Defense Staff of the United Kingdom, General Sir Gordon Messenger, in February 2017 to discuss renewed military cooperation in order to prevent any incidents.