Matvei Vasilevich Zakharov (Russian: Матве́й Васи́льевич Заха́ров; August 17, 1898 – January 31, 1972) was Marshal of the Soviet Union, Chief of the General Staff, and Deputy Defense Minister.

After the cessation of hostilities with Germany, Zakharov was transferred east, where he was made the Chief of Staff of the Transbaikal Front, and helped plan the subsequent Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation.

In January 1960, the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announced that within two years, 1,200,000 men, including 250,000 officers, were to be demobilised from the armed forces.

In April 1960, Zakharov was appointed Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of Defence, replacing Marshal Sokolovsky.

In 1963, having apparently fallen out with Khrushchev, he was demoted to the job he had held 18 years earlier, as head of the General Staff Academy.