The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday, June 10, the appointment of Lieutenant General Alexander Chaiko as commander-in-chief of the Russian "Aerospace" Forces. The appointment came under an official decree issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin last May, with Chaiko succeeding General Viktor Avzalov in this pivotal position.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Chaiko previously served as deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and commanded Russian forces in Syria.

The appointment comes as Moscow continues to rearrange its military leadership to maintain its external influence and manage its vital files.

Leadership Progression

Born on July 27, 1971 in the Odintsovo district near the capital Moscow, Alexander Yuryevich Chaiko graduated from the Moscow Higher Military School and the General Military Academy.

He began his military career at the beginning of the new millennium as the commander of an armored unit, and in 2009 he headed the 473rd Regional Center for the Training and Qualification of Junior Soldiers in the Northern Military Region.

In 2013, Chaiko assumed the position of deputy commander of the Central Military Region, before commanding the First Army of the Armored Guard in the Western Military Region in 2014. In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, and his name was later associated with Russia's direct military presence in Syria since 2015, where he oversaw the organization of operations, field planning, and joint coordination, and returned to the United States in 2024 to manage Russian forces during recent field developments there.

Russia, Syria discuss possible restructuring of Russian bases

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Russia is discussing with the Syrian authorities a "possible restructuring" of its two military bases in Syria (Tartus and Hmeimim).

Zakharova pointed out that the files of military and security cooperation are still ongoing between the two sides, stressing that the details of these talks are usually conducted through closed channels and within the competence of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The Tartus naval base represented Russia's only vital supply center on the Mediterranean, while the Hmeimim air base in the Latakia countryside was the main fulcrum of Russian military operations in the Middle East and Africa, making the future of these bases a key pillar of Moscow's foreign strategy.

The Russian Aerospace Force was established in its current form after the merger of the Air Force and the Aerospace and Space Defense Forces into a unified command. This military branch was entrusted with the tasks of air and space defense, early warning of missile attacks, monitoring of outer space, as well as the launch and operation of military satellites and the management of air operations.

This leadership position has emerged as one of the most important and prominent military positions in Russia due to the pivotal and essential role played by the Aerospace Forces in the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as their direct control over the management and direction of Russian missile, air and space capabilities.