Vladimir Magomedovich Semyonov (Russian: Влади́мир Магоме́дович Семёнов) (b. 1940) is a Russian colonel-general and the first president of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (1999–2003). He is a professional military commander. In 1988, Vladimir Semyonov was appointed as the head of the Transbaikal Military District. In 1991, he became a commander-in-chief of Soviet Land Forces and deputy minister of the Ministry of Defence. From 1992 to 1996 Vladimir Semyonov headed the Russian Ground Forces. In May 1999 he won the presidential elections in Karachay-Cherkessia which caused ethnic tension between Karachays and Cherkesses. The tension was pacified without bloodshed. Vladimir Semyonov tried to solve socio-economic problems of the Republic but in vain. On August 31, 2003, he lost in the general election and left his post to Mustafa Batdyyev.
