Kvashnin graduated from the with
specialist degree in
engineering and the
military department of this institute in 1969, received his
officer commission as a
lieutenant. He was drafted into
active duty in July of the same year. He began serving in the army as deputy commander of a tank company in the
201st Motor Rifle Division. In July 1971, after the ending of his conscript military service, he decided to stay in armed forces as a volunteer and served until his discharge in September 2004. In 1973, Kvashnin enrolled in the
Malinovsky Tank Academy. After graduating three years later, Kvashnin became chief of staff of the 360th Tank Regiment of the
18th Guards Motor Rifle Division in June 1976, stationed in Czechoslovakia under the
Central Group of Forces. He steadily rose to higher positions in Czechoslovakia, becoming regimental commander of the 360th in August 1978 and chief of staff of the 31st Tank Division of the group in February 1981. Kvashnin was promoted to command the
78th Tank Division of the
Central Asian Military District in July 1982, and in 1987 was sent to the
Soviet General Staff Academy for advanced studies. After graduating from the academy in 1989, he was appointed deputy commander of the
28th Combined Arms Army in July of that year. From May 7 to August 24, 1992 — Commander of the
7th Red Banner Tank Army,
Republic of Belarus. In August 1992, he became deputy chief of the Main Operative Directorate of the
General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Since February 1993, Kvashnin was first deputy chief of the Main Operative Directorate of the
General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. During
First Chechen War, Kvashnin took command of the Joint Grouping of Russian Forces in Chechnya in December 1994 following the relief of Colonel General for the initial Russian defeats, and remained in this position until 31 January 1995. In February 1995, he replaced Mityukhin as the commander of the
North Caucasus Military District. On 19 June 1997, Anatoly Kvashnin was appointed to the position of the
Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces. On 25 November 1997, he was promoted to the
military rank of
Army general. For leading the Russian operational headquarters directing operations against Chechen fighters during the 1999
Dagestan war, Kvashnin was made a
Hero of the Russian Federation. As Chief of the Russian General Staff he had some success in reforming the command structure for the strategic deterrent forces, but feuded with
Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and many of his subordinates. Kvashnin also proved to be indecisive at times, he split then merged the
Volga-Urals Military District, combined the
Strategic Rocket Forces with the
Russian Space Forces and the Early Warning System, then restored their independence. On 10 June 2000, Kvashnin became a member of the
Security Council of Russia. On 19 July 2004, Anatoly Kvashnin was released from the post of the
Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces. On 9 September 2004, Kvashnin was honorably
discharged from military service. He was listed in the inactive reserve until 2011 when he became a retired army general. ==Civil career==