▁dis band ed . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁general ▁on ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁High er ▁Academ ic ▁C ourses ▁at ▁the ▁Military ▁Academy ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Staff ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Phys ical ▁Training ▁and ▁Sports ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Gr ound ▁Forces ▁from ▁June ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁In ▁this ▁capacity , ▁he ▁led ▁a ▁Soviet ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁London ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁Soviet ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁Olympics . ▁Bak lan ov ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Army ▁in ▁the ▁Car path ian ▁Military ▁District ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁first ▁deput y ▁commander ▁and ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Group ▁of ▁Forces ▁in ▁Poland ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁and ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁Military ▁District ▁between ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁colon el ▁general ▁on ▁ 7 ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁and ▁was ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Group ▁of ▁Forces ▁from ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁to ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁before ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁Bak lan ov ▁first ▁requested ▁to ▁ret ire ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁but ▁was ▁denied ; ▁his ▁second