Following this assignment, Zhidko commanded the Eastern Military District and headed the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces.

[4][3] He received awards for organizing fire training from the commander of the Ural Military District, Colonel-General Alexander Baranov.

[5][4][3][2]From August 2007 to July 2009, he was commander of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division of the North Caucasian Military District, based in Volgograd.

[8][9] From July 2009 to January 2011, he was the Deputy Commander of the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Moscow, then Western Military Districts with headquarters in Voronezh.

[12] From January 2015 to September 2016, Zhidko was Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army, and from September 2016 to November 2017 – Commander of the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District with headquarters in Samara.

[29] On 12 November 2021, Zhidko was appointed head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces (GVPU), a position included among the deputy ministers of defence.

[36] He was also later sanctioned by Canada under the Special Economic Measures Act (S.C. 1992, c. 17) for Grave Breach of International Peace and Security[37] and by the UK government on 15 March 2022, both in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.