2 0 0 6 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Soviet ▁Army ▁and ▁briefly ▁Russian ▁Gr ound ▁Forces ▁Army ▁General . ▁ ▁S net kov ▁fought ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁as ▁a ▁self - prop elled ▁art illery ▁officer ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁rose ▁to ▁command ▁positions . ▁He ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁T ank ▁Army ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁first ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Group ▁of ▁Soviet ▁Forces ▁in ▁Germany ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁S net kov ▁led ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁Military ▁District ▁and ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁Military ▁District ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Group ▁of ▁Soviet ▁Forces ▁in ▁Germany ▁( GS F G ), ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁became ▁the ▁Western ▁Group ▁of ▁Forces ▁as ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁w ound ▁down . ▁S net kov ▁was ▁removed ▁from ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁and ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Group ▁of ▁Ins pect ors ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ense , ▁before ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁▁ ▁S net kov ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁in ▁Sar at ov , ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁P ug ach y ov ' s ▁School ▁No . ▁ 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁draft ed ▁into ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁in