Vasily Shvetsov

Vasily Ivanovich Shvetsov (Russian: Васи́лий Ива́нович Швецо́в; 12 March 1898 – 1 October 1958) was a Soviet Army colonel general who rose to field army command during World War II.

After fighting in the Russian Civil War as an ordinary soldier, Shvetsov became an officer training instructor and rose to command the 133rd Rifle Division by the beginning of World War II. After leading the division in the Battle of Moscow, he rose to command the 29th Army in the Battles of Rzhev. After the lack of success in the latter Shvetsov was reduced to deputy commander of the 3rd Shock Army, but after his leadership of a group of the army during the Battle of Velikiye Luki in late 1942 and early 1943 he returned to army command, leading the 4th Shock Army into eastern Belorussia in late 1943. After the unsuccessful performance of the army in these actions, Shvetsov briefly commanded the 21st Army and then served as its deputy commander. He commanded the 23rd Army in the final operations of the Continuation War. Postwar, Shvetsov continued to hold army command and rose to first deputy commander of the Baltic Military District before his death.