Date of Birth: 1943, born in the village Hilaire of the Turkmen-Kale district of Mary Oblast.

Biography: He graduated from the Turkmen Agricultural Institute (1969), the Tashkent Lenin Higher Military School (1971-1973) and the Frunze Military Academy (1974-1977). In 1961, he worked as a livestock specialist. After graduation, he served in the Soviet Army (1969-1971). From 1977 he worked as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the compound, the commander of the 373rd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 5th Guards Motorized Rifle Division in Tahtabazar, which entered Afghanistan (1979-1980). Soltanov was commander of the 70th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade in Kandahar (Afghanistan). He then served as the Commander of training regiment in Ashgabat (May 1980), Military Adviser in Cuba, the Military Commissar in Dzhizak, Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, and the Military Commissar of the Soviet district of the city of Ashgabat. From October 1991, he served as the Military Commissar of Turkmenistan. From January 27, 1992, he served as the Deputy Minister of Defense of Turkmenistan. From 1994 to February 12, 1997, he was the First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan. On Jan. 27, 1992, he was promoted to the rank of Major General, and later, Colonel-General.

Until June 2001, he served as the Military Commissar of Balkan province. He was relieved of his duties and stripped of his rank and privileges, in connection with the investigation into the supply of military equipment in 1994. Boris Shikhmuradov was later charged in connection with the same investigation.

Arrest and Conviction: He was convicted in 2001 (Varna, 2014). According to unconfirmed reports, in February 2015 he was being held in a secret detention area (commentary on the biography on centrasia.ru).