Fyodor Fyodorovich Palitzin (Russian: Фёдор Фёдорович Палицын; 28 October [O.S.

Palitzin attended the Pavel Military School until 1870, when he moved on to the General Staff Academy.

[1] He was appointed chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff in June 1905, where he played a role in the military reforms until his resignation in 1908: he disagreed with the subordination of the General Staff to the Ministry of War.

However, he retained his seat on the Military Council[1] Initially during World War I, he served on the Northwestern Front.

Following the removal of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia from overall command of the Imperial Russian Army, Palitzin was reassigned to the Caucasus Army, whence he was then sent to France to lead the Russian Expeditionary Force in France.