the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces. On 25 November 1997, he was promoted to the military rank of Army general. For leading the Russian operational headquarters directing operations against Chechen fighters during the 1999 Dagestan war, Kvashnin was made a Hero of the Russian Federation. As Chief of the Russian General Staff he had some success in reforming the command structure for the strategic deterrent forces, but feuded with Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and many of his subordinates. Kvashnin also proved to be indecisive at times, he split then merged the Volga-Urals Military District, combined the Strategic Rocket Forces with the Russian Space Forces and the Early Warning System, then restored their independence. On 10 June 2000, Kvashnin became a member of the Security Council of Russia. On 19 July 2004, Anatoly Kvashnin was released from the post of the Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces. On 9 September 2004, Kvashnin was honorably discharged from military service. He was listed in the inactive reserve until 2011 when he became a retired army general. Later life and death On 9 September 2004, Kvashnin was appointed to the post of the President's Plenipotentiary Representative in the Siberian Federal District thus becoming a civilian official. On 20 December 2004, Kvashnin was promoted to the civilian service rank of 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation. On 9 September 2010, he was released from the post of the President's Plenipotentiary Representative in the Siberian Federal District and was honorably discharged from civilian service. On 20 September 2010, Kvashnin ceased to be a member of the Security Council of Russia. Kvashnin held a candidate of sciences degree in sociological sciences (1997), a doctor of sciences degree in military sciences (2004) and was a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences. In the last years of his life Kvashnin lived in Novosibirsk with his family. Kvashnin died on 7 January 2022, at the age of 75, from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia. He was buried in the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery on 10 January 2022. Honours and awards Hero of the Russian Federation (27 October 1999) Order of Merit for the Fatherland; 2nd Class 3rd Class (19 July 2004) – for great contribution to strengthening national defence and many years of conscientious service 4th Class Order of Courage Order of Honour (21 August 2006)