Nikolai Serdtsev
Nikolai Serdtsev | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Николай Иванович Сердцев |
| Born | 21 April 1948 Colonel General |
| Commands held | Russian Engineer Troops |
| Awards | Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" Fourth Class Order of Courage Order of Military Merit Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" Third Class Medal "For Battle Merit" State Prize of the Russian Federation Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the Field of Science and Technology |
Nikolai Ivanovich Serdtsev (Russian: Николай Иванович Сердцев; 21 April 1948 – 4 June 2021) was a Soviet and Russian military officer and engineer. He served as head of the Russian Engineer Troops between 1999 and 2008, reaching the rank of colonel general.
Serdtsev's service in the Soviet Armed Forces began with studies at the Tyumen Higher Military Engineering Command School, starting a life-long specialisation in military engineering. Assigned to the Soviet Engineer Troops after graduation, he worked his way up through the ranks to more senior positions. He furthered his expertise with studies at the V. V. Kuibyshev Military Engineering Academy, and served in Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan War in command of an independent engineer battalion.
Serdtsev's career culminated with the command of the Engineering Troops of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, between 1999 and his retirement in 2008. He continued to work as a researcher, having received several academic distinctions, as well as awards from the Soviet and Russian militaries, and the Russian Orthodox Church, prior to his death in 2021 at the age of 73.
Early life and career
Serdtsev was born on 21 April 1948 in
Serdtsev then took the correspondence courses at the V. V. Kuibyshev Military Engineering Academy, graduating in 1979. In July that year he was given command of an independent engineer battalion, in which role he went on to serve with the Limited Contingent of Soviet Troops in Afghanistan between 1981 and 1983, during the Soviet–Afghan War.[1] In 1983 Serdtsev took command of an army engineer battalion, followed in 1984 by the 62nd Pontoon Bridge Regiment in the Odessa Military District. During his time in command, the regiment was twice recognized as the best in the district's engineering troops.[1][3]
Senior ranks
In February 1988 Serdtsev was appointed head of the Engineering Troops of the
On 19 April 1999, Serdtsev was appointed head of the Engineering Troops of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, which in 2002 changed its name to the Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Serdtsev was its commander until his retirement in April 2008.[1][3] He had been promoted to lieutenant general in June 1999 and to colonel general in May 2000.[2]
Retirement and later life
Serdtsev had defended his thesis for the degree of
In retirement Serdtsev lived in Moscow. He was married, with a son and a daughter.[1] He died in Moscow on 4 June 2021 at the age of 73, after a serious illness.[1] He was buried on 7 June in the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Ушел из жизни генерал-полковник Сердцев Николай Иванович (21.04.1948 - 04.06.2021)" (in Russian). Фонд офицерское братство. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Сердцев Николай Иванович" (in Russian). Alma Mater Инженерных Войск. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Сердцев Николай Иванович" (in Russian). Ministry of Defence (Russia). Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Служба ВМК организовала похороны генерал-полковника Николая Сердцева" (in Russian). ФВМ ПЗО МО РФ. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
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