Vladimir Kasatonov

Who was Vladimir Kasatonov?

Vladimir Afanasyevich Kasatonov was a Soviet military leader, fleet admiral, and Hero of the Soviet Union.

Kasatonov finished the M.V. Frunze Higher Naval School in 1931 and served in the Baltic Fleet as a submariner. During the early part of World War II he was Chief of Staff of the Baltic Fleet's submarine division. Later in the war he joined the Naval General Staff, Operations Division.

In 1949 he was Deputy Commander of the Pacific Fleet, In 1953 he was Commander of the Baltic Fleet and in 1955 he became Commander of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1962 he became Commander of the Northern Fleet. In 1964 he became Deputy Commander of the Soviet Navy. In 1966, as senior commander he participated in the circumnaviation of a squadron of nuclear submarines from the Northern Fleet to the Pacific Fleet and was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union for this endeavour.

In 1974 Kasatonov became a member of the Chief Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense and served in the Supreme Soviet. He died in Moscow and is buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery.

Vladimir Kasatonov was awarded three Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of Nakhimov, the Order of the Patriotic War, two Orders of the Red Star, two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, and numerous medals.