1 3 th ▁Army , ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁Military ▁District , ▁and ▁the ▁Northern ▁Group ▁of ▁Forces ▁before ▁his ▁ret irement ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Bak lan ov ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ ▁to ▁a ▁wealth y ▁family ▁in ▁Moscow . ▁His ▁father ▁Vladimir ▁Bak lan ov ▁owned ▁a ▁we aving ▁factory ▁and ▁his ▁mother ▁Alex andra ▁had ▁been ▁an ▁actress ▁before ▁bearing ▁children . ▁His ▁sister ▁Ol ga ▁Bac lan ova ▁left ▁the ▁Russian ▁S FS R ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁return , ▁having ▁chosen ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁natural ized ▁American ▁citiz en . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁secondary ▁school ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁V . I . ▁Len in ▁Moscow ▁Poly techn ic ▁College ▁before ▁being ▁draft ed ▁into ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁Inter war ▁period ▁and ▁Winter ▁War ▁ ▁Bak lan ov ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Moscow ▁Pro let arian ▁R if le ▁Division ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁a ▁one - year ▁command ▁course ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁going ▁on ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁its ▁ 3 rd ▁R if le ▁Regiment ▁as ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁commander , ▁assistant ▁company ▁commander , ▁batt alion ▁chief ▁of ▁staff , ▁chief ▁of ▁chemical ▁defense ▁for ▁the ▁regiment , ▁and ▁assistant ▁regiment al ▁chief ▁of ▁staff . ▁He ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁reserve ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁Pur ge ▁but ▁returned ▁to ▁duty ▁in ▁May ▁