Nikolai Makarov (general) in the context of "Valery Gerasimov"

Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov (born 8 September 1955) is a Russian army general serving as the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defence.

He was appointed by president Vladimir Putin on 9 November 2012, replacing Nikolai Makarov, and currently serves as the commander of all Russian forces in Ukraine. He is considered one of the most powerful men in Russia, and one of three people to hold access to Russia's nuclear weapons, alongside Putin and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. Gerasimov has been described as a loyal follower of Putin. He is reportedly the one who conceived the Gerasimov Doctrine.