A monument to Admiral Gennady Suchkov was unveiled in Polyarny, and a square was named after him
This event is not at all regional, but all-Russian scale, since we are talking about statesman, known in all four fleets of Russia - from the Northern Arctic Ocean to the Pacific, from the Black Sea to the Baltic.
And it's not even that Gennady Aleksandrovich Suchkov, a sailor to the marrow of his bones, was the only admiral in our history who fell to command both the Northern and Pacific Fleets. Although this too.
He did not lead his fleets into battle. In life, he had another task - to save these fleets from the pogrom of pseudo-reformers. Save from the thieves' sale of warships that have not served their time, save the fleet from stagnation in bases and indefinite repairs.
Thanks to the titanic efforts of the admiral, both of our ocean fleets retained their strategic core, their combat capability in the crafty pacifist times, when it was announced that Russia had no external enemies, and, in general, it did not really need the Armed Forces. How can one not recall the revolutionary year of 1917, when the fleet was smashed, and officers were thrown overboard ...
But he thought differently and acted contrary to the treacherous doctrine. Fought to ensure that the fleet received weapons latest developments, and for ensuring that invaluable specialists do not leave their ships.
He laid down his soul for the fleet. We don’t forgive such things: “What are you, a saint? White crow?". So we will show you where the crows hibernate!
It was not even an undercover fight: fights with conformists took place in open rings, if court sessions can be called a ring.
They were afraid of him. They were afraid that just such an admiral would take the chair of the commander-in-chief and cover up "warm places", block dubious "financial flows". The yellow press excitedly slandered about the "abuses of the admiral" in connection with the supply of new torpedoes to the fleet. The persecution of Suchkov reached its peak when the admiral was classically set up with the towing of the decommissioned nuclear-powered ship K-159, which sank in the Barents Sea. Under the hooting of the “democrats”, the admiral was put on trial.
The United Council of Navy Veterans, the International Club of Submariners, the heads of many constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and former commanders-in-chief, and elders expressed their protests about the “high-profile” process. Russian fleet. But one could not be afraid of "pressure on the court." Our military court, the most independent (especially from public opinion) and, of course, the most fair in the world, determined the punishment at "three years probation."
And then there was an unprecedented appointment of Suchkov to a new position: the "criminal", albeit a conditional one, was taken as an adviser by the then Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Ivanov. But that didn't bother anyone anymore. The main thing is that the likely contender for the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy has been reliably eliminated. And although the punishment was conditional, the admiral's soul and heart hurt more than really. It was a disaster for his entire impeccable career, more precisely, for his entire difficult sea life, his selfless service to the Russian fleet. The only consolation was that such military leaders as Ushakov and Suvorov, Zhukov and Kuznetsov also knew disgrace ...
The British have such a definition - "admiral from the deck", that is, not a parquet admiral. In relation to the submariner Admiral Suchkov, this could sound like this: "Admiral from a strong hull." Most of his service was spent in the durable hulls of the Polarny submarines.
One of his long trips lasted 18 months! No one in the world left their bases for a year and a half. It was a record of human endurance, set not for the sake of the Guinness book, but because of the current military-political situation. Lieutenant Commander Gennady Suchkov withstood this ordeal with honor.
A peasant grandson, the son of a front-line officer, he was a pupil and hero of the most desperate squadron in the Navy - the Fourth Squadron of diesel submarines. He passed all the official steps on it - from lieutenant-miner to commander-admiral. "Century" has already talked about the fate of Admiral Suchkov ("Forgive us, Admiral!" dated 08/30/2013):
“Father gave him the profession to defend the Motherland. In 1969, Gennady graduated from our best naval school- Higher VMU named after M.V. Frunze, and came to the Northern Fleet as a lieutenant. At first he got on a minesweeper, but did everything to transfer to a submarine and, in the end, was appointed commander of a torpedo group on a B-9 diesel submarine. It was from that time that, as sailors say, he “did not get out of the seas”, the strong hull became his second home: “autonomy” after “autonomy”, first for six months, then for nine months, then for a year, and in 1975–76 years involuntary world record - military service away from the base for 18 months! A year and a half in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean in the compartments of a diesel submarine!
Note that Suchkov received all his lieutenant and captain stars in the seas, and all his orders were sprinkled with sea salt - both the Order of the Red Star, and - "For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces." An officer without any connections, without support from above, walked up the steps of the career ladder very confidently: submarine commander, submarine brigade commander, submarine squadron commander, deputy commander Black Sea Fleet, commander of the Pacific Fleet, after the death of the Kursk nuclear submarine, he was appointed commander of the native Northern Fleet…
Prior to that, he served as First Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet. At that more than difficult time, Suchkov, with all his heart, contributed to the preservation of the Russian fleet in the Crimea, and showed remarkable diplomatic efforts. The people of Sevastopol pronounce his name with sincere respect and gratitude. And they are not the only ones.
At the opening of the monument to the naval commander, his colleagues, friends, and most importantly, both sons, Alexander and Yegor, grandson Timur, came to Polyarny, who, together with the commander of the Kola Flotilla, Vice Admiral Oleg Golubev, pulled off the cover from the monument. Then there was a solemn meeting, a gun salute of the guard of honor. Crews of surface and submarine ships of the Flotilla marched in parade. The brass band played “Farewell of the Slav”, “Victory Day” and even Gennady Suchkov’s favorite song “Farewell, Rocky Mountains” transposed to the drill step ...
Admiral Suchkov "bronzed" only after his death. Three bronze busts were erected in his honor: in his small homeland in the city of Sechenov, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, at the Troekurovsky cemetery in Moscow and here, in Polyarny, the former capital of the Northern Fleet, which named Gennady Suchkov its honorary citizen. During his lifetime, he was open to everyone who sought his help and support. There was no more cheerful and witty interlocutor in a close company of officers.
But the most surprising thing: the submariner Suchkov never drank. He didn't even take a sip from his glass. He picked it up with everyone and put it on the table. Perhaps this was the secret of his phenomenal memory and exceptional performance?
One way or another, but Admiral Suchkov was more often seen on the berths and decks, in compartments and wheelhouses, than in the coastal office. And even far on land, within the walls of the ministry, he always remained a sailor. He always had sailors. He always did everything for the fleet and in the name of the fleet. Let's believe that one day a warship with the name "Admiral Suchkov" on board will appear in the North. Admiral Suchkov saved the fleet, helped the sailors. But he couldn’t save himself, he couldn’t help himself - he suddenly died from a neglected disease. Usually in such cases they say - burned out at work. Yes, it burned down. But his life shone like a torch. Like the light of a beacon that warns you that your course is in danger.
Now they stand in the immediate vicinity: a bust of Admiral Gennady Suchkov and a bronze statue of Admiral Fyodor Ushakov. Both are looking at the berths of the Ekaterininskaya harbor, at the ships under the Andreevsky flag, ready to go to sea. distant seas. This was the meaning of the service and ministry of Admiral Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov - to send warships to distant seas, and wait for them with victory.
Especially for "Century"
The article was published as part of the socially significant project “Russia and the Revolution. 1917 - 2017" with the use of state support funds allocated as a grant in accordance with the order of the President Russian Federation dated 08.12.2016 No. 96/68-3 and on the basis of a competition held by the All-Russian public organization "Russian Union of Rectors".
The event held last Friday in the hall of the district administration, dedicated to memory our outstanding countryman, Admiral G.A. Suchkova, of course, will leave her mark on the minds and hearts of everyone who was present.
And the hall was packed - along with adults, schoolchildren and students of the agricultural technical school were sitting. And even if they came not at the call of the heart, but at the initiative of the teachers, they probably did not regret it, because. in a little over an hour they learned what it should be real man, officer, defender of the Fatherland. Not from boring speeches, not from meager biography facts, but from emotional, heartfelt speeches by people who knew Gennady Alexandrovich. People who do everything to make his memory live forever.
Gennady Dmitrievich Tortev, friend, classmate of Admiral Suchkov, brought a priceless gift to the Museum. Sechenov - personal belongings of G.A. Suchkov - his overcoat, admiral's uniform, photographs of memorable events, books ... The admiral's wife agreed to part with things dear to her, because they would become the property of Gennady Alexandrovich's fellow countrymen.
About G.A. The newspaper wrote repeatedly to Suchkov. The last time - about the opening of the monument to the admiral. We were informed about this by the same G.D. Tortev and advised where to find information. Throughout his life he carried an invaluable friendship with G.A. Suchkov and A.N. Mokeev: "He did not forget his small homeland- Metropolis, he came there, tried to help fellow countrymen, home school. In general, he was a trouble-free person, he did not forget about a single request. Modest, honest, decent, hardworking and persistent. So he cherished his dream of becoming a naval officer from childhood. And he got his way. A simple rural boy, the son of a collective farmer, entered the Leningrad Higher Naval School. Frunze and went from lieutenant to admiral in command of the fleet. A total of more than 10 years underwater. Northern, Black Sea, Pacific and again the Northern Fleet. He went through everything, overcame a lot "...
Colleague G.A. Suchkova, captain of the 1st rank, chairman of the regional Nizhny Novgorod fleet support movement, member of the Public Chamber of the region V.E. Antonevich. It was a memorable performance, as it was not only and not so much about a single person, but also about the Navy as a whole, its former glory and power, the beginning of its end when B.N. Yeltsin, Minister of Defense A. Serdyukov. “Pain in the hearts of real officers echoed the words that Russia does not need a fleet. And today we are reaping the fruits of collapse, slovenliness, corruption on a huge scale. Suchkov was not afraid to express his point of view, to ask, to demand. But often to no avail. The death of the Kursk submarine was a pain in the heart of Gennady Alexandrovich. And when, when he was in command, a disaster happened on one of the submarines, which, due to their condition, could no longer be released, but were forced, responsibility was placed on Suchkov. He was removed from command of the fleet ... It's like after an accident on the road, the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs would be fired.
But he warned, tried to prevent the collapse. In 2005, realizing that people like G.A. There were almost no knots left, and without them the fleet could not rise, he was appointed to the post of adviser to the Minister of Defense on issues that he had been dealing with all his life. He was respected, he was considered, but many of his demands were still ignored. As a result, we have what we have. Today there are orders to shipyards, including one of the most important in their time - Sormovsky, for submarines and ships. They turn for help to people who have not yet forgotten, have not lost their former skills. Much has changed for the better with the removal of Serdyukov from office. Now military pilots have the opportunity to fly, sailors are trying to consolidate in practice what is given in theory. Russia has grown Crimea. But ... We have one submarine in the Black Sea, and Turkey alone has 22 of them. This should not be, and real naval commanders warned against this, including G.A. Suchkov.
"He had big plans, he could still long years serve the Motherland,” said N.S. Verevochkin.
The head of the district administration E.G. Nabornov thanked the dear guests for the priceless gifts and said the following: “Admiral Suchkov is a real role model. We are proud that he is our countryman. Will be named after him new street district center". Head of the Department of the Commissariat of the Nizhny Novgorod Region for the Sechenovsky District V.V. Yudin in his speech noted how Admiral G.A. Suchkov did not disregard the requests of fellow countrymen. For example, with its help, those who wanted to serve in the Navy served there. Museum staff. Sechenov was assured that G.A. Suchkov will take their place in the museum's expositions, and stories about this amazing person will play their role in instilling in the younger generation a sense of patriotism and respect for the past.
Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov(January 7, 1947, the village of Mitropolie, Gorky region - August 7, 2013, Moscow) - naval figure, admiral.
Biography
Education
Graduated from the Higher Naval School named after M.V. Frunze (1964-1969), the Higher Special Officer Classes of the Navy (1977-1978), the Marshal Naval Academy Soviet Union A. A. Grechko (1981-1983), courses at the Military Academy General Staff Armed Forces in 1994.
Career
Served as: commander of a torpedo group (1969-1970), commander of BCH-3 (1970-1972), assistant commander, senior assistant commander of a submarine (1972-1977), commander of the B-105 submarine (October 10, 1978 - 9 June 1980), commander of the B-4 submarine (June 9, 1980 - August 1981), chief of staff of the 69th submarine brigade (July 1983 - October 1985), chief of staff (October-December 1985), commander (December 1985 - November 1988) of the 42nd submarine brigade.
Then - chief of staff (November 1988 - February 1992), commander (February 1992 - December 1994) of the 4th squadron of submarines of the Northern Fleet, 1st deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet (December 29, 1994 - July 19, 2001), commander of the Pacific Fleet ( July 19 - December 4, 2001), Commander of the Northern Fleet (December 4, 2001 - September 11, 2003).
He was appointed to the Northern Fleet instead of Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, who was removed from this post after an investigation into the circumstances of the death of the Kursk nuclear submarine.
After removal from office due to the death of the K-159 submarine hull
On September 11, 2003, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, he was temporarily removed from command of the Northern Fleet for the period of investigation into the death of the hull of the K-159 submarine, which sank on August 30, 2003. Vice-Admiral Sergei Simonenko became the acting commander of the Northern Fleet.
May 18, 2004 Northern maritime court Severomorsk sentenced Gennady Suchkov to 4 years of suspended liberty with a two-year probation period on charges of negligence that resulted in the death of the crew members of the K-159 nuclear submarine. In September 2004, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, having considered the appeal of Admiral G. A. Suchkov, upheld the verdict. Alexander Nikitin, Senior Assistant to the Chief Military Prosecutor, stated the following in this case:
The court, on the basis of the evidence collected in the case, interrogations of more than a hundred witnesses, the study of hundreds of documents, many volumes of the criminal case, established that only as a result of suchkov's unprofessional, incompetent, criminal actions recognized by the court, 9 submariners died. And there is no need to look for political motives under the actions of the prosecutor's office and the court, as some of the so-called commentators on this case tried to do today. These statements have no legal or moral basis.
At the end of May 2004, Admiral G. A. Suchkov was relieved of his post as commander of the Northern Fleet, and Vice Admiral Mikhail Abramov became the new commander of the Northern Fleet. In early June 2004, when introducing Abramov to the leadership of the Northern Fleet, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Ivanov expressed gratitude to Gennady Suchkov for leading the fleet, (already convicted by that time for negligence, which led to the death of the crew members of the nuclear submarine K-159). Ivanov expressed hope and confidence that Gennady Suchkov would continue to serve in Armed Forces.
Since mid-April 2005 - Advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Ivanov.
Chief Military Prosecutor of the Russian Federation Alexander Savenkov in June 2005 stated that "the appointment of Suchkov in April of this year as an adviser to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation is a fact that absolutely does not meet the tasks of justice." At the same time, Sergei Ivanov stated that Admiral G. A. Suchkov was appointed to the post of adviser to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation after consultations with Savenkov.
Since December 2007 - President of the International Association public organizations Navy veterans and submariners.
Assignment of titles:
rear admiral (1990),
Awards
- Order of the Red Star;
- Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree;
- Order of Friendship,
- 13 medals;
- Honorary Citizen of the Polar.
Family
Was married, two children. The eldest son Alexander is a submarine officer. The youngest son Yegor is a lawyer.
Death
He died on August 7, 2013 in Moscow at the age of 67 after a serious illness. He was buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery (plot 27).
August 7 marks five years since the death of the famous Russian submariner, Admiral Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov.
On the Day of Remembrance of Admiral G.A. Suchkov, August 7, his comrades and colleagues, activists of the UDPF, headed by the Chairman of the Board of the Movement M.P. Nenasheva laid flowers on his grave at the Troekurovsky cemetery of the capital. Eternal gratitude to the associates, teachers-commanders and comrades-in-arms!…
Let's remember Admiral G. A. Suchkov, a sailor, submariner, naval commander and a man! Human memory is a fragile and short-lived thing. But we, people, these days, let's commemorate according to Russian, according to military tradition - we will light a candle in his memory, we will raise piles with words of memory ...
I am still that believer, of course, but I once talked with a priest who in the world graduated from the philosophical faculty of Moscow State University, who has an inquisitive mind, asking questions with and without, and looking for answers. So, he told me the emotional and theological essence of commemorations. He remembered the deceased - and his soul felt better, she received support. It was not for nothing that the walls of Russian huts, Cossack houses and kurens were hung with photographs of people dear to us who had left us ... Who knows? Since then, I honor these traditions, remember the relatives and friends of the comrades who left. And every year there are more and more of them!
As a warrior, a sailor, as a man, he struggled with a serious illness until the last day. Even on the shore, all these “negative” factors catch up with divers - stress, lack of sleep, the influence of various harmful fields, hypothermia ... Divers from diesel submarines know what it is, and there is no need to describe horror stories and passions. On the nuclear submarine - the service is also not a resort, but still, still, still ...
in the photo the commander of the submarine "B-105" cap. 2nd rank G. Suchkov and brigade commander Mokhov
And Gennady Aleksandrovich - according to the most conservative estimates of his friends colleagues - had 20 long-distance campaigns, "autonomous" - as they were then called. And in the Mediterranean, and in the South Atlantic, and even in the northern seas, at anti-submarine lines - all the time. They say that there were about 2000 purely underwater days (!!!), and the miles traveled - three times along the equator around the ball ... They say that not one of the living admirals has spent so many years of his life in a solid hull.
Military service, the path of a commander, is a harsh, tough business, requiring - sometimes - inhumane, quick decisions. Especially in the subfloor. The work is like that - they would say in some movie.
Gennady Alexandrovich, by the way, was not vindictive ... he used to scold - scolded him strongly - but for the cause. And the sailors got off with suggestion and emotional dressing, where they could have run into serious penalties. affecting career and even destiny. He inspired respect for himself, even to those who did not know him, and not by title, status. but some inner strength.
I may be wrong, but for many years he is the only "full admiral" who came out of the commanders of "diesels". From the commanders of nuclear submarines - a lot came out admirals, and even commanders in chief, and from diesel .... Unless, at the end of the fifties, Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov Vladimir Afanasyevich.
You see, surface watermen have such an honorary nickname - "deck admiral", which means, in contrast to the "parquet", that his entire career was spent on steel decks, at the navigation post, on the bridge - as the ship's control center was traditionally called, "the brain ship”, and not in the shining corridors and cozy offices of high headquarters, from the windows of which you can not see the sea. Once I heard a somewhat ironic, kindly envious expression "admiral of a strong corps." G.A. Suchkov had access to many projects and types of ships and submarines, according to the admiring testimonies of his inner circle, he had an encyclopedic knowledge of maritime theaters, the achievements of modern naval science.
Admiral Suchkov before last days, while health at least somehow allowed, did not know peace, flew on business trips to the fleets, by planes, from one end of our country to the other, from north to east, from south to west. And on airplanes - read, from takeoff to landing. He was interested in everything. He also became interested in my books, since I had once served under his command. Same. they say he likes them...
Gennady Alexandrovich was treated in the hospital for a long time, the disease either receded or went on the offensive ...
The last time I had to see him was on March 28, 2013, at a meeting of the Board of the UDPF, when the Chairman of the Board of the Movement M.P. Nenashev and Admiral Suchkov presented me with an award - "Admiral's Dagger", for the 10th book, the book "Naval Service as a Form of Male Life".
He had plans for a fictional book about submariners " cold war”, which we briefly talked about, promising each other to meet and talk more specifically. And then, already in August, they called me and told me the sad news.
They buried the restless "admiral of the fixed corps" at the Troekurovsky cemetery, where many honored people, military men, and cultural figures are buried. He's got a good company. Who knew him - will not forget, remember. As they say, the kingdom of heaven be upon him, peace be upon him! Do not put off good deeds and kind words people "for later", this "later" may not be!
From the obituary of the Military Council of the Northern Fleet:
Gennady Alexandrovich was born on January 7, 1947 in the village of Mitropolie, Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) Region. Immediately after graduation, he entered the Leningrad Higher Naval School. M.V. Frunze. From that moment on, the life and fate of G.A. Suchkov were inextricably linked with the Russian Navy.
In 1969, after graduating from VVMU them. M.V. Frunze Lieutenant Suchkov was appointed to the post of commander of the torpedo group of the submarine of the Northern Fleet. It only took a young officer a year to step onto the next rung of the career ladder - in 1970 he was appointed commander of the BCH-3 PL, and two years later - senior assistant commander of a submarine.
In 1977-1978. Gennady Alexandrovich is being trained at the Higher Special Officer Classes of the Navy, after which he takes command of the B-105 submarine and takes it to the best ships of the formation.
June 9, 1980 G.A. Suchkov heads the crew of the B-4 submarine, but does not manage it for long, since in August 1981 he enters the Naval Academy. Marshal of the Soviet Union A.A. Grechko, after which he receives a new submarine under his command.
Since 1985, a new, more difficult stage begins in the service career of Gennady Aleksandrovich. He has been appointed Chief of Staff of the 42nd Submarine Brigade, but has been in this position for only a few months. In December 1986, he takes the brigade under his command.
The staff position did not excommunicate the officer from the sea. He still goes on long trips on the ships of the formation, as a senior on board helps submarine commanders solve assigned tasks.
In November 1988, Captain 1st Rank G. Suchkov became chief of staff of the 4th Red Banner Order of Ushakov, 1st class submarine squadron of the Northern Fleet. Until now, in the museum of the first naval capital of the city military glory Polyarny stores documents and photographs testifying to the glorious deeds of the honorary citizen of the city Gennady Alexandrovich, committed as chief of staff, and then commander of the Red Banner Order-bearing formation.
In 1994, Gennady Aleksandrovich Suchkov left the Northern Fleet. After completing courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, he was appointed to the post of 1st Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet.
It was the first step in the career of a naval commander. Six years later, Vice Admiral Gennady Suchkov headed Pacific Fleet However, he served in this position for only six months. In December 2001, he was appointed to command the youngest, but most powerful formation of the Navy, the Northern Fleet.
Returning to the North, which had become native over the years of service, Gennady Alexandrovich began active work to increase the combat readiness of the fleet. In just six months, he visited all associations, formations, units and ships of the fleet, personally identified shortcomings and outlined ways to eliminate them.
However, he did not succeed in fulfilling everything planned. In September 2003, Admiral Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov again parted ways with the fleet, and after a while he resigned.
In 2005 G.A. Suchkov was appointed Advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, and in 2007 he was elected President of the International Association of Public Organizations of Veterans and Submariners. Navy Russia.
For valiant service in the ranks of the Russian Navy, performing the most difficult tasks in long hikes and during combat services, the courage and high professionalism of Admiral G.A. Suchkov was awarded the Order of the Red Star, "For Service in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree, Friendship, 13 medals, was awarded the title of State Councilor of the Russian Federation 3rd class.
Memory of Admiral G.A. Suchkove will forever remain in the hearts of his colleagues, those to whom he gave way to the sea, with whom he more than once settled in the solid hull of the submarine, with whom he shared the joy of victories and the bitterness of failures. He will be remembered by everyone with whom he had a chance to serve and work. 
On August 7, 2013, the President died suddenly in Moscow after a serious illness. International Association public organizations of veterans of the Navy and submariners, adviser to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Admiral Suchkov Gennady Alexandrovich. The navigator of the fleet is remembered by Gennady Alexandrovich as a demanding and caring admiral, a knowledgeable and understanding commander, with him any most complex tasks were always successfully solved. We express our condolences to family and friends.
Commander
Passed away beloved admiral of the Russian fleet
Admiral Gennady Aleksandrovich Suchkov died on 7 August. A diesel submariner, went through all the stages of service, sailed on boats in a submerged position for 10 years (the total service life in the crew is 19 years, not taking into account going to sea to test the Bulava), had 20 military campaigns on his account. Suchkov commanded three Russian fleets: the Black Sea, Pacific and Northern, successively went to the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy. Despite the general decline of the country and the army, the confidence does not leave me: Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov could become for the Russian fleet what he was for the Soviet Navy the legendary Nicholas Gerasimovich Kuznetsov. But the sinking boat of the first generation "K-159", which sank during towing in 2003, also drowned this, the last hope of the fleet for a professional commander-in-chief.
I met Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov in the winter of 2004. In the midst of closed litigation in the case of the death of K-159 and 9 out of 10 crew members who accompanied the boat for disposal. The directive for towing sludge boats on a stupid technically dangerous project was personally signed by Kuroyedov. And the last crew of the K-159 took the transition extremely lightly and combined service with personal interest. People used a rusty boat as a free "container" and transported their things on it: I remember there was some kind of refrigerator and a lot more, including cases of vodka. And when the boat began to sink, only one out of 10 divers managed to maintain adequacy and climbed onto the bridge in a vest. Was saved. It's a mess, yes. But for some reason, only one person answered for him. And it was the strongest competitor of Putin's favorite commander-in-chief, Vladimir Kuroyedov.
From the logic of the prosecution, it appeared that the personal inaction of the commander of the Northern Fleet, Admiral Suchkov, led to the tragedy, which, of course, was ridiculous and monstrously unfair. Especially in comparison with the Kursk case, which was shamefully covered up, removing from criminal responsibility numerous perpetrators of the tragedy. Including Kuroyedov. The effect of delayed justice played a cruel joke when in 2003, just a couple of days after the tragedy, Defense Minister Ivanov and Chief of the General Staff Kvashnin publicly blamed Admiral Suchkov. And for the first time in the history of the naval brotherhood, Commander-in-Chief Kuroyedov testified against his subordinate in court.
I know that Kvashnin and Ivanov deeply regretted their unbalanced first "political" reaction. And then they did everything to save Gennady Alexandrovich Suchkov for the fleet. I know this for sure, because I contributed to this work on the mistakes and I was personally convinced that high-ranking officials can be sane. But even they cannot stop the flywheel of a system based on a complete lack of justice.
Still, it was a great battle. During the battle, Commander-in-Chief Kuroyedov horrified half the world. Only President Putin did not react to Kuroyedov's sensational statement that the service on the nuclear cruiser "Peter the Great" was poorly organized and "at any moment the ship could fly into the air with its nuclear installations." The real reason for Kuroyedov's statements and sanctions (deprived the crew of the cruiser of the award and pennant) is revenge on the commander of Peter the Great, Vladimir Kasatonov, for his uncle. Uncle - retired Admiral Igor Kasatonov - acted as an expert at the trial on K-159. And he smashed Kuroyedov's testimony to the ground.
All four fleets of Russia then stood up to defend Suchkov. Under open letters whole crews of submarines signed up. I'm not talking about Navy veterans. Plenipotentiary Klebanov and Commander-in-Chief Chernavin visited Putin. Governors and heads of regions of the country interceded for Suchkov. Moscow, Murmansk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Orel... It was Gennady Sanych who revived active patronage of submarines named after Russian cities. At his request, long before any mortgages, certificates and subsidies, Luzhkov, Gromov and Savchenko solved the problems of housing for officers. When the question of saving the strategic boats of the 941st project sent to scrap by Kuroyedov was acute, when the fate of ballistic missiles was being decided, Gennady Sanych obtained a preferential loan from the chairman of Sberbank Andrei Kazmin. Suchkov was the unconditional bearer of Peter's understanding of the role of the fleet for Russia. He designed the possibility of a state approach to solving the problems of the country, even in our far from Peter's time. And this example was contagious.
In the spring of 2004, Commander-in-Chief Kuroyedov held a military council in Severomorsk and expressed spiteful displeasure to the officers for having supported Admiral Suchkov: “You don’t fucking deal with the fleet, you just yell: “Hands off Khodorkovsky!” In one phrase, Kuroyedov drew obvious parallels: a combat admiral for the commander-in-chief, that an oligarch is for the president. But in fact, Suchkov and Khodorkovsky were somewhat similar. They thought and acted as those who govern the country should have thought and acted.
And the country did not even notice this battle for the admiral. About the role of Novaya Gazeta in that story, Gennady Sanych said: “In my environment, your newspaper is considered almost hostile. You were the last on the list whose support I counted on. But it turned out that you are the only ones.
Speaking of defamatory connections... Out of fear that support for an opposition newspaper could be interpreted as harmful, Suchkov's lawyers Sasha Shadrin and Volodya Cherkasov and I developed an encrypted method of communication. We came up with a call sign for Gennady Sanych - “commander”. A ton of years have passed since then, but when I say "commander" - everyone understands who I am talking about. Has grown.
Shortly after the verdict (Suchkov was found guilty and sentenced to 4 years probation), Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov appointed him as his adviser. At the same time, Ivanov pointedly publicly expressed his gratitude to the already convicted Gennady Sanych for leading the fleet and said that Russia should not scatter such officers. As an adviser, Suchkov survived both Ivanov and Serdyukov. We rarely met. Stories about flights in a dream and in reality of our miserable "Mace" reached me in a roundabout way. In order for the Bulava to finally begin to fly successfully, courage was also required - to take responsibility. And each time Suchkov went to sea for test firing and took on this responsibility.
On February 6, a very vile article was published in the Kommersant newspaper. Journalists wrote about Suchkov that he lobbies commercial interests and is behind the supply of unusable components for torpedoes for the fleet.
On that day, I resolutely called the commander and asked for a "coffee glass". It was our ritual: we sat down in a cafe, he ordered three balls of different ice cream, and I ordered a cappuccino and an ashtray.
With torpedoes, everything turned out to be very primitive and rude. In 2011, under Serdyukov, a working commission was created, headed by Suchkov, and which was supposed to come up with a way out of the disaster. By that time, all the naval underwater weapons of the fleet were beyond the designated service life, and every day the tragedy of the Kursk could be repeated. It was Suchkov who caught on. A lot of people in industry and in the Ministry of Defense did not like this. Taking advantage of the changing of the guard in the Ministry of Defense, lobbyists launched an active attack on Suchkov's working commission.
I spent three months sorting out the problem. My editor at the word "torpedo" shudders badly and says that I also drowned. Article "Terrible a military secret"Was published in Novaya on the eve of Navy Day. Gennady Sanych read it while already in the intensive care unit in Burdenko. He really hoped that the article would shift the situation ...
Once Gennady Sanych told me: “I don’t understand what those who make decisions are thinking about. Even your newspaper needs to figure it out, but the state media is silent!”
“Because we are the true patriots, Commander!” I joked.
On the day of the death of Gennady Aleksandrovich, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called me. Expressed condolences. He said that he had read my articles and prepared an order to expand Suchkov's powers. That's just...
During the nine years of our acquaintance, the commander did not change at all - gray-haired, lean, as if dried by the sea wind, short, like most submariners, very fast. I barely managed to follow him, clinging to his elbow.
Gennady Sanych burned down instantly, like a sparkler. I firmly believed that the disease would not cope with him, joked with all my might on the phone and planned to visit as soon as he was transferred from intensive care. And he died the day before. And I didn't have time.
For a long time, a page made up with Suchkov's interview and his quote in the headline has been hanging over my desk: "I will obey only the order of the president." He gave me this interview in May 2004, immediately after the verdict in the K-159 case, in his office as commander of the Northern Fleet.
I seem to be very proud of him.
