Valentin Ponikarovsky

Valentin Nikolayevich Ponikarovsky (; 10 January 1927 — 14 August 2009) was an officer of the Soviet Navy. He reached the rank of admiral, and served as a deputy commander in chief of the Black Sea Fleet between 1975 and 1977, the Northern Fleet between 1977 and 1981, and the head of the Naval Academy from 1981 to 1991.

Biography Ponikarovsky was born on 10 January 1927 in the village of Nekrasovo, Oparinsky District, in what was then the Northern Dvina Governorate, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in the Soviet Union. His parents, Nikolai Elizarovich (1898–1967) and Anna Andreevna (1904–1944), were peasants.

Ponikarovsky undertook further studies at the Naval Academy from 1960 until 1963, and on graduating was appointed as a captain 1st rank to command the Echo II-class nuclear missile submarine in the Northern Fleet's . The division operated the new generation of nuclear submarines then entering service, and carried out long-distance voyages to operate in the Mediterranean. Ponikarovsky personally took part in seven of these. Ponikarovsky was particularly interested in academic affairs, being a candidate of military sciences, a professor, and a corresponding member of the International Slavic Academy of Sciences. He authored more than 100 scientific papers and publications. Valentin died in Moscow on 14 August 2009, at the age of 82. He was buried in Saint Petersburg's Serafimovskoe Cemetery.

Honours and awards Over his career Ponikarovsky received the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, the Order of the Red Star, and the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" Third Class, and various other medals.