Gennady Suchkov

Gennady Aleksandrovich Suchkov (Russian: Геннадий Александрович Сучков; 7 January 1947 – 7 August 2013) was an officer of the Soviet and Russian Navies. He held the rank of admiral, and served as commander of the Pacific Fleet in 2001, and the Northern Fleet from 2001 to 2003. Born in 1947, Suchkov joined the navy after studying at the M. V. Frunze Higher Naval School, and was assigned to the Northern Fleet. He began a long career associated with submarines, rising from junior positions to eventually command his own vessels. After reaching higher ranks he served in staff positions as commander of the 42nd Submarine Brigade and 4th Submarine Squadron. He was then appointed First Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, before briefly becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet in 2001. Later that year he was appointed commander of the Northern Fleet when the preceding commander, Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, was removed following the Kursk submarine disaster. Suchkov spent less than three years in this post before another submarine accident occurred in the fleet. The decommissioned K-159 sank on 30 August 2003 while being towed for scrapping, resulting in the deaths of nine sailors. Suchkov was temporarily removed from command 2003 and put on trial on charges of negligence. Despite support and the belief that Suchkov was being made the scapegoat for the loss, he was convicted and sentenced to four years of suspended imprisonment. He nevertheless became an advisor to the Minister of Defence, and in retirement became President of the International Association of Public Organizations of Navy Veterans and Submariners. He died in 2013, having received a number of honours and awards.