Sergei Siniakov
Encyclopedia
Sergei Pavlovich Siniakov was a Soviet Air Force general.
. He joined the Red Army
during the Civil War
. In 1925 he attended a course for senior cavalry commanders in the Leningrad Cavalry School, but eventually was transferred to the Air Force
. He graduated from the Frunze Academy, granted the rank of Combrig
in 1935, and was himself appointed commander of the Orenburg
Military Flight School in 1937. Later he took part in the Battle of Khalkin-Gol and was Chief of the Air Staff in the Baltic Military District
. On June 1940 Siniakov was promoted to Major General of the Aviation. Even before the Second World War he was twice awarded the Order of Lenin
for his contribution to the Air Force. He served in the Air Department of the General Staff when Germany invaded
the Soviet Union.
In May 1942 Siniakov was sent to investigate the Soviet Air Force's failures in the Battle of the Crimea; after two weeks he was assigned as the Chief of Staff to the new 5th Air Army
, on June 3, and ordered to organize the aerial support for the Red Army in the Battle of the Caucasus
. He remained in office until 1 July 1943, when he was transferred to Rostov-on-Don
on Marshal Novikov
's orders. Siniakov continued to serve in the Air Force throughout the war, and was promoted to Lieutenant General on 1944. He remained in the Air Force Staff after it ended, and later retired without further promotions.
Biography
A son of a country priest, Siniakov went to study in the Moscow State UniversityMoscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
. He joined the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during the Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
. In 1925 he attended a course for senior cavalry commanders in the Leningrad Cavalry School, but eventually was transferred to the Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
. He graduated from the Frunze Academy, granted the rank of Combrig
Combrig
Combrig was a military rank used in the Red Army for commanders of brigades between 1935 and 1940 . Kombrigs were senior to polkovniks and junior to comdivs...
in 1935, and was himself appointed commander of the Orenburg
Orenburg
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 546,987 ; 549,361 ; Highest point: 154.4 m...
Military Flight School in 1937. Later he took part in the Battle of Khalkin-Gol and was Chief of the Air Staff in the Baltic Military District
Baltic Military District
The Baltic Military District was a military district of the Soviet armed forces, formed briefly before the German invasion, and then reformed after World War II and disbanded after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991....
. On June 1940 Siniakov was promoted to Major General of the Aviation. Even before the Second World War he was twice awarded the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
for his contribution to the Air Force. He served in the Air Department of the General Staff when Germany invaded
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
the Soviet Union.
In May 1942 Siniakov was sent to investigate the Soviet Air Force's failures in the Battle of the Crimea; after two weeks he was assigned as the Chief of Staff to the new 5th Air Army
5th Air Army
The 5th Air Army was the Russian Air Force's smallest Air Army, with the headquarters located in Yekaterinburg, its zone of responsibility being the Volga-Ural Military District, on the border between Europe and Asia...
, on June 3, and ordered to organize the aerial support for the Red Army in the Battle of the Caucasus
Battle of the Caucasus
The Battle of Caucasus is a name given to a series of German and Soviet operations in the Caucasus area during the Soviet-German War.-1941 operations:...
. He remained in office until 1 July 1943, when he was transferred to Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
on Marshal Novikov
Alexander Novikov
Alexander Alexandrovich Novikov was the Chief Marshal of Aviation for the Soviet Air Force during Russia's involvement in the Second World War...
's orders. Siniakov continued to serve in the Air Force throughout the war, and was promoted to Lieutenant General on 1944. He remained in the Air Force Staff after it ended, and later retired without further promotions.
External links
- Sergei Siniakov's picture on Generals.Dk.