▁commander ▁of ▁a ▁tank ▁regiment . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁S net kov ▁was ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁a ▁division , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Military ▁Academy ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Staff . ▁After ▁gradu ating , ▁S net kov ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁tank ▁division ▁in ▁the ▁K iev ▁Military ▁District , ▁and ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Group ▁of ▁Soviet ▁Forces ▁in ▁Germany ▁( GS F G ) ▁as ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁and ▁first ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Sho ck ▁Army . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁general ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁and ▁would ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁G SF G ▁for ▁the ▁better ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁de cade . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁T ank ▁Army ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁general ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁and ▁became ▁First ▁Deput y ▁Commander ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁He ▁left ▁East ▁Germany ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁Military ▁District ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁colon el ▁general ▁that ▁year , ▁moving ▁west wards ▁again ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁Military ▁District ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁S net kov ▁was ▁promoted