Aleksandr Lapin (general)
Aleksandr Lapin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | Александр Павлович Лапин |
| Birth name | Aleksandr Pavlovich Lapin |
| Born | 1 January 1964 Kazan, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union Russia |
| Service |  Russian Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 1982–present |
| Rank | Colonel general |
| Commands | Central Military District (since 22 November 2017) Eastern Military District (April 2017 to 22 November 2017; acting) |
| Awards | Hero of Russia (2022)[1] |
Aleksandr Pavlovich Lapin (Russian: Александр Павлович Лапин; born 1 January 1964) is a Russian army officer who has been the commander of the Central Military District since 22 November 2017.[2] He was promoted to the rank of colonel general in 2019.
He is the commander of the Army Group "Center" of the Russian Army Forces in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3]
Biography
Early life and career
Aleksandr Lapin was born on 1 January 1964 to a working-class family.
After graduating from high school, he studied at the Kazan Institute of Chemical Technology from 1981 to 1982. From 1982 to 1984 he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army in the Soviet Air Defense Forces. After military service, he entered the Kazan Higher Tank Command School named after the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, from which he graduated in 1988. After graduation, he served as commander of a tank platoon and tank company in the Leningrad Military District and in the Coastal Forces of the Northern Fleet.
High posts
In 1997, he graduated from the Malinovsky Military Armored Forces Academy. After graduation, he served in the 58th Combined Arms Army as the commander of a separate tank battalion. Since 1999, Lapin was the chief of staff, commander of the 429th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 19th Motor Rifle Division. From 2001 to 2003, he became the Chief of Staff of the 20th Guards Motorized Rifle Carpathian-Berlin Division. From 2003 to 2006, Lapin became the commander of the 205th Motorized Rifle Cossack Brigade and promoted to major general. From 2006 to 2007, he was the commander of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division.
In 2009, he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. After graduating from the academy, he was deputy commander of the 58th Army.
From April 2012 to July 2014, Lapin commanded the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army. In 2014, he was awarded the military rank of Lieutenant General. From 2014 to 2017, he was the Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the Eastern Military District.
In 2017, Lapin became the chief of staff of the grouping of the Russian troops and forces in Syria. He was promoted to colonel general in 2019.[4] From September to November 2017, Lapin was the Head of the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Central Military District
Lapin has been the commander of the Central Military District since 22 November 2017.[5] From October 2018 to January 2019, he was the Commander of the grouping of the Russian troops and forces in Syria.
In 2020, he graduated from the faculty of retraining and advanced training of the highest command personnel of the Military Academy of the General Staff.[6]
In June 2022 it was revealed that he is the commander of the Army Group "Center" of the Russian Army Forces in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3] In late March, he visited the front line and awarded a medal to his son, the commander fighting in Sumy and Chernihiv, just before the Russian army withdrew.[7]
Following the Second Battle of Lyman, which saw a Ukrainian victory, Lapin was heavily criticized by the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. Kadyrov blamed Lapin for the Russian retreat, saying he would demote Lapin to the rank of private, strip him of his medals, and send him to the front line barefoot with a light machine gun to "wipe away his shame with blood". The Kremlin told Kadyrov to "set aside emotions" during the "special military operation". [8]
Family
He is married and has a son.[citation needed]
Awards
- Hero of the Russian Federation
- Order of St. George IV degree (2017)[9][10]
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
- Order of Alexander Nevsky
- Order of Courage
- Order of Military Merit
- Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
- Medal "For military distinction"
- Medal "To the participant of the military operation in Syria" ;
- Medal "For action in Palmyra"
- Title "Hero of Russia" (Following occupation of Lisichansk)
- Combat Commonwealth Medal (Syria) .
References
- ^ "Указ о присвоении звания Героя России генерал-майору Эседулле Абачеву и генерал-полковнику Александру Лапину".
- ^ "Лапин Александр Павлович - Командующий Центральным Военным Округом - Биография". rus.team (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-22.
- ^ a b Cherkasov, Alexander (26 June 2022). "Люди, стрелявшие в наших отцов". Novaya Gazeta.
- ^ news.mail.ru Archived 2019-02-23 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Министерство обороны Российской Федерации : Подробно". special.mil.ru. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
- ^ Академия Генштаба напутствовала выпускников курсов высшего комсостава российской армии / mil.ru
- ^ ""Залезь, генерал, со мной в окоп. И сына своего сюда посади"". BBC News Русская Служба.
- ^ "Kremlin advises Kadyrov to "set aside emotions" when discussing "special operation"".
- ^ "Встреча с военнослужащими, участвовавшими в антитеррористической операции в Сирии". Kremlin.ru. 2017-12-28. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
- ^ "Путин вручает в Кремле госнаграды военнослужащим, которые служили в Сирии". РИА Новости. 2017-12-28. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
- 1964 births
- Living people
- Russian colonel generals
- Military personnel from Kazan
- Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class
- Recipients of the Order of Courage
- Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Russia)
- Recipients of the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II class
- Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia alumni
- Heads of military schools