Vladimir Chernavin

Biography

Admiral of the Fleet Vladimir Nikolayevich Chernavin (22 April 1928 – 18 March 2023) was a Russian officer of the Soviet Navy. He was the last commander-in-chief of the Soviet Navy from 1985 to 1991 and the only commander-in-chief of the Commonwealth of Independent States Navy from 1991 to 1992.

Chernavin served a submarine officer in the Northern Fleet for over three decades and participated in the development of nuclear submarines. He commanded the November-class submarine K-21 and led it on the first patrol of the Arctic Sea by a Soviet nuclear submarine. Chernavin later commanded the 19th Submarine Division of Delta-class submarines and the 3rd Submarine Flotilla. From 1977 to 1981, he was commander of the Northern Fleet, and from 1981 to 1985 he was Chief of the Main Staff and First Deputy-Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. During his tenure as Commander-in-Chief the Soviet Navy was at the peak of its power, and had more than 200 ships deployed around the world at any time. After his retirement in 1993, was the president of the Union of Submariners until 2014.