▁to ▁army ▁general . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁S net kov ▁was ▁appointed ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁G SF G , ▁which ▁became ▁the ▁Western ▁Group ▁of ▁Forces ▁( W G F ) ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁shift ed ▁to ▁a ▁def ensive ▁role . ▁During ▁up he av als ▁in ▁East ▁Germany ▁during ▁October ▁and ▁November , ▁the ▁W G F ' s ▁troops ▁did ▁not ▁interven e ▁in ▁the ▁Leipzig ▁Monday ▁demonstr ations ▁and ▁the ▁Fall ▁of ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Wall ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁orders ▁given ▁to ▁S net kov ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁amb assador ▁in ▁East ▁Germany , ▁V y aches lav ▁Koch emas ov , ▁which ▁were ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁government . ▁After ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Wall ▁and ▁the ▁eas ing ▁of ▁Cold ▁War ▁t ensions , ▁discipline ▁in ▁the ▁W G F ▁began ▁to ▁break ▁down . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁charges ▁of ▁fatal ▁rec ruit ▁ab use , ▁w ides p read ▁desert ion , ▁and ▁weapons ▁sm ugg ling ▁among ▁Soviet ▁troops , ▁S net kov ▁held ▁a ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁press ▁conference ▁to ▁den y ▁the ▁charges , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁stated ▁that ▁only ▁ 8 4 ▁soldiers ▁had ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁mostly ▁in ▁training ▁or ▁traffic ▁acc idents ; ▁that ▁ 8 3 ▁soldiers ▁had ▁" left ▁units ▁without ▁permission "; ▁and ▁denied ▁alleg ations ▁weapons ▁sm ugg ling , ▁stating ▁that ▁only ▁seven