Breaking: Latvia Appoints Colonel Aivars Krjukov as Next Chief of Land Forces
The Ministry of Defense has proposed Colonel Aivars Krjukov as the next Chief of Latvia’s Land Forces, with the decision set to be approved by the cabinet. According to a public draft of the government’s decision, Colonel Krjukov is expected to take over the post on January 22, succeeding Brigadier General Kaspars Pudans.
Pudans, who served as the Land Forces’ commander, will assume the role of National Armed Forces Commander starting January 27. In his decades-long military career, Colonel Krjukov has served in various command positions within the Land Forces and the
Colonel Krjukov has participated in international operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, served as a deputy military representative to NATO/EU, and was also a pro-rector at the National Defense Academy of Latvia. He holds degrees from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the National Defense Academy of Slovakia.
Colonel Krjukov is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Command and General Staff College at the United States Army War College. Interesting to note, the position of Land Forces’ commander is appointed and removed from office by the Cabinet of Ministers based on the proposal of the Minister of Defense, following a legal framework set by the law.
Meanwhile, the current term of National Armed Forces Commander Leonīds Kalniņš is set to expire in January, with Kaspars Pudans set to succeed him. This move further solidifies the promotion pathway within the Latvian Armed Forces.
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