Vicktor Solomatin Lieutenant General Date of Birth: 13.09.1936 Country: Russia

Biography of Victor Solomatin

Victor Solomatin was born on September 13, 1936, in the village of Detkovo, Chekhov district, Moscow region. His father, Alexander Fedorovich Solomatin, was a participant in the Great Patriotic War and served as a tank platoon commander. After the war, he worked as a foundry worker until his retirement. Victor's mother, Maria Ivanovna Solomatina (Arhipova), worked for over forty years at the Sergo Ordzhonikidze plant in Podolsk. Victor's wife, Elena Nikolaevna Mitusova, graduated from the Leningrad Institute of Radio Engineering and worked at one of the research institutes in Leningrad.

Victor had two children: his son, Alexander Victorovich, served as a lieutenant and was tragically killed while on a mission in the Chechen Republic in 1999, posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. His daughter, Elena Victorovna, studied at the Moscow State Geological Prospecting Academy. He also had a grandson, Victor Aleksandrovich, born in 1998.

Victor's childhood was spent with his grandfather, Fedor Timofeevich Solomatin, a former officer and participant in World War I. His grandfather instilled in him a love for knowledge, hard work, and a passion for the military profession. In 1955, Victor successfully graduated from high school and fulfilled his lifelong dream by enrolling in the Ryazan Artillery School. He excelled as a cadet and was appointed as the commander of a division and awarded the "Excellence of the Soviet Army" badge.

After graduating with distinction from the Odessa Artillery School in 1958, Victor began his officer service as a platoon commander in the 26th Tank Division of the 3rd Army of the Soviet Group of Forces in Germany. He later served as a battery commander in the 4th Army of the Transcaucasian Military District, earning the rank of captain.

From 1968 to 1972, Victor attended the M.I. Kalinin Artillery Academy in Leningrad. After receiving his diploma with distinction, he joined the Georgievskiy Hall in the Kremlin and returned to the military as the commander of a separate reconnaissance division in the 30th Guards Artillery Corps. He was recognized for his abilities as an officer and began working in the staff: first as a senior staff officer in the Rocket Forces and Artillery of the Leningrad Military District, then as the deputy chief of the operational department of the operational control staff of the Leningrad Military District. He received promotions to the rank of major and lieutenant colonel.

Victor's service in the district staff, under the guidance of experienced military leaders who were veterans of the Great Patriotic War, allowed him to apply the excellent knowledge he gained at the academy in practical situations. He could independently develop exercises for various levels of command, from battalion to army, for the use of troops in theaters of military operations. In 1979, he was sent to the General Staff Academy, graduated with distinction in 1981, and joined the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces as one of the most operationally prepared officers.

Service in the General Staff was challenging, and Colonel Solomatin was responsible for the Western direction in the main operational directorate. The events in Poland required not only deep military knowledge but also political understanding. Solomatin continued to learn and constantly improve his professional level while accumulating knowledge in related fields. He had excellent teachers, including Marshal of the Soviet Union A. V. Ogarkov, S. F. Akhromeev, S. L. Sokolov, General of the Army V. I. Varennikov, Lieutenant General G. A. Burutin, and others.

In 1983, Victor became the deputy chief and later the chief of the Southern direction, which was responsible for planning and directing the war in Afghanistan. He presented personal reports at meetings of the Politburo, the Afghanistan Commission, and the government, interacting with various ministries and agencies on all war-related issues. He had to be highly focused, possess excellent situational awareness, and quickly develop and propose optimal solutions. Victor excelled in these demanding conditions.

Victor Solomatin not only continued to educate himself but also nurtured a whole generation of excellent officers. According to superiors and colleagues, he was a military genius, an outstanding specialist in his field, possessing brilliant intelligence, leadership skills, and a deep understanding of what needed to be done. Almost all the officers who worked under his leadership in the General Staff's main operational directorate became generals. They were distinguished in their preparation and could solve the most complex tasks. Victor also had one student, his son Alexander, who followed in his father's footsteps. He passed on his knowledge and combat experience to his son from an early age.

Lieutenant Alexander Victorovich Solomatin had a promising future and could have become a prominent military leader, a reliable support for the state, just like his father taught him. However, Lieutenant Solomatin was tragically killed on December 1, 1999, while serving in Chechnya. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Since 1993, Victor Solomatin has been retired from active duty. Throughout his military service, he was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces" of the 3rd degree, three orders from foreign countries, and 16 medals.

Thanks to regular sports activities and the absence of harmful habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption, Victor remains fit, youthful, and active. He continues to follow his principle of lifelong learning and often reads specialized literature. He believes that he still has much to do for his people and his homeland.