Kirill Meretskov

Kirill Afanasievich Meretskov (Russian: Кири́лл Афана́сьевич Мерецко́в; June 7, 1897 – December 30, 1968) was a Soviet military commander. He was born in the Ryazan province, southeast of Moscow. His parents were peasants and lived in a rural village. He volunteered for the Imperial Army in June 1916, where he worked as a mechanic. Meretskov joined the Bolsheviks (later the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in August 1917, and became chief of s... more

Kirill Afanasievich Meretskov (Russian: Кири́лл Афана́сьевич Мерецко́в; June 7, 1897 – December 30, 1968) was a Soviet military commander. He was born in the Ryazan province, southeast of Moscow. His parents were peasants and lived in a rural village. He volunteered for the Imperial Army in June 1916, where he worked as a mechanic. Meretskov joined the Bolsheviks (later the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in August 1917, and became chief of staff of a Red Guard (later Red Army) division. During the Russian Civil War, he attended a military academy, which he was forced to leave several times so as to take command positions where he was desperately needed (see also 1st Cavalry Army). During these battles, he was wounded and subsequently decorated for bravery multiple times. He graduated in 1921. Between 1924 and 1931, he held a number of positions in the Moscow Military District. In 1936, Meretskov left the Soviet Union to fight for the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. He... less