Nikolai Dimidyuk

Nikolai Mikhailovich Dimidyuk (; 18 January 1937 – 29 March 2020) was an officer of the Soviet Armed Forces. After service in the he rose to command the branch, with the rank of colonel general, just prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He became the last commander of the Soviet Missile Troops and Artillery, and the first commander of the Russian Missile Troops and Artillery.

Born in Aleysk, Dimidyuk studied at the and subsequently rose through the ranks of the Missile Troops and Artillery, commanding larger and larger units. Having impressed his superiors with his command of an artillery division, Dimidyuk received awards and was selected for further study at the Kalinin Military Artillery Academy. He then began service with the Central Group of Forces in command of a regiment.

Dimidyuk continued to receive postings and promotions, serving in several of the Soviet Union's military districts, including the North Caucasus Military District, the Transbaikal Military District and the Far Eastern Military District. Having attained high rank after studying at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Dimidyuk was appointed commander of the entire Soviet Missile Troops and Artillery in 1991, just prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He continued in command as the branch became the Russian Missile Troops and Artillery, overseeing major changes as part of the wideranging reforms of the Russian military. After retiring in 1997 he worked for Russian military export organisations such as Rosoboronexport, prior to his death in 2020. Over his career he had received two Orders of the Red Star and the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" Second and Third Classes.

Early career Dimidyuk was born on 18 January 1937 in the city of Aleysk, in Altai Krai, then part of the Russian SFSR, USSR. He studied at the , graduating in 1957. Following his enlistment in the armed forces, Dimidyuk rose through the ranks, and was assigned to command an artillery division. After two years in this post his work resulted in the division receiving a rating of 'excellent', while Dimidyuk himself received a second award of the Order of the Red Star, and a place at the Kalinin Military Artillery Academy, which he graduated from with a gold medal for excellence in 1974. His next assignment was the command of an independent artillery regiment with the Central Group of Forces. Under his leadership the regiment received excellent ratings and was ranked first in the group's units. During this time he oversaw significant reform and restructuring of his branch, as the Russian Armed Forces established to replace the Soviet Armed Forces and reconstituted along new lines. He was married, with two sons. Over his career he had heen awarded two Orders of the Red Star, and the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" Second and Third Classes.