Ivan Kapitanets


Ivan Matveyevich Kapitanets was a Soviet Navy admiral of the fleet who held two senior commands in the 1980s, the Baltic Fleet and the Northern Fleet.

Early life and education

Kapitanets entered the Navy in 1946 and graduated from the Caspian Higher Naval School in 1950.

Naval career

After graduation he joined the Northern Fleet and served as torpedo officer on the destroyer Okrylenny. He completed the Higher [Special Officer Classes of the Navy] in 1958 and commanded the destroyers Ostry and Otryvisty of the Northern Fleet.
After completing the Naval Academy in 1961 he commanded a destroyer squadron of the Northern Fleet. Kapitanets graduated from the Military Academy of the [General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia|General Staff Academy] in 1970 and was deputy commander of the 5th Operational Squadron between 1970 and 1973.
In 1973 Kapitanets was assigned to the Pacific Fleet and commanded the Kamchatka Flotilla. He was promoted to vice admiral in 1975.
Kapitanets was deputy commander of the Baltic Fleet in 1978 and commanded this fleet in 1981-85 when he was promoted to commander of the Northern Fleet. Kapitanets was made first deputy commander of the Soviet Navy and Fleet Admiral in 1988. He retired in 1992.
In retirement Kapitanets consulted for the Russian Government on naval matters and was a member of the Academy of Military Sciences. He was also the author of several books on Russian naval history.

Honours and awards