Andrey Ivanayev

Colonel General Andrey Sergeyevich Ivanayev (Russian: Андрей Сергеевич Иванаев; born 20 January 1972) is a Russian military officer who has served as the commander of the Central Military District and the Group of Forces "Center" since 2026.

He graduated from the Chelyabinsk Higher Tank Command School in 1992 and commanded motor rifle units in the Russian Ground Forces. Ivanayev went on to graduate from the Combined Arms Academy in 2001 and the General Staff Academy in 2013. He participated in the Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war, being involved in the Battle of Aleppo in 2016 and the lifting of the siege of Deir ez-Zor in 2017.

Ivanayev was the commander of the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army from 2018 to 2022, and in that role, he took part in fighting against the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive. He commanded the Eastern Military District and the Group of Forces "East" in the Russo-Ukrainian war from 2024 to 2026, and was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2025.

Early life and education Andrey Ivanayev was born on 19 January 1972 in Uralsk, Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (present-day Oral, Kazakhstan). In 1988 he entered the Ulyanovsk Guards Higher Tank Command School, and later continued his studies at the Chelyabinsk Higher Tank Command School, which he successfully graduated in 1992.

Military career In the early 1990s, he commanded a tank platoon in the 409th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 147th Motor Rifle Division of the Group of Russian Forces of the Transcaucasus (former Transcaucasian Military District).

In 2009, he was promoted to the commander of the 5th Guards Separate Motorized Rifle Taman Brigade. On 23 February 2011, by decree of the president of Russia, Ivanayev was promoted to major general. In 2013, he graduated with honors from the Russian General Staff Academy. On 11 June 2019, by decree of the president of the Russia, he was promoted to lieutenant general. During the Russo-Ukrainian war the 20th army under his command fought against the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, preventing the Armed Forces of Ukraine from advancing in its area. He was promoted to the rank of colonel general on 21 February 2025, and was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in December 2025.

Awards and decorations Ivanayev's awards include:

On 23 June 2023, he was also included in the sanctions list of all EU countries for the deployment of Russian troops that are participating “in Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine.”