Soviet Union Kazantsev began his career as a platoon commander in 1966 and served in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Afghanistan (1979) and with the
Central Group of Forces in
Czechoslovakia. He commanded the
17th Army Corps (Soviet Union) in 1988-90, located at Frunze, which then became
Bishkek in the former
Kyrgyz SSR. He was military advisor to the government of Kazakhstan in 1991.
Russia From 1991 to 1993, Kazantsev was First Deputy Chief of Staff, and then deputy commander of the
Transbaikal Military District for combat training. From April 1993 to February 1996 he was Chief of Staff and first deputy commander of the
Transbaikal Military District. From February 1996 to July 1997 he was First Deputy Commander of the
North Caucasus Military District, and then from July 1997 to May 2000 Commander of the
North Caucasus Military District. From August 1999 to April 2000, Kazantsev was Commander of the Allied Group of Federal Forces in the North Caucasus, while maintaining the post of commander of the North Caucasus Military District. In January 2001, he became a member of the Operational Headquarters for the management of counterterrorism actions in the North Caucasus region, created by decree of the President of the Russian Federation. ==Political activity==