Riazanov, Aleksei

Born Feb. 27, 1920, in the village of Bol’shaia Kochetovka, now in Tokarevka Raion, Tambov Oblast. Major general of aviation (1970). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Aug. 24, 1943, and Aug. 18, 1945). Member of the CPSU since 1942.

Riazanov graduated from the V. P. Chkalov Borisoglebsk Military Pilots’ School in 1939. He saw service in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45 as a pilot (1941–42), squadron commander (1942–44), and the 4th Fighter Aviation Regiment’s deputy commander for flight training. Riazanov made 509 combat flights, shot down 31 aircraft personally and 16 in group flights, and fought in air battles over Kiev, Moscow, Stalingrad, the Baltic region, and East Prussia.

Riazanov graduated from the M. V. Frunze Military Academy in 1950 and the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1958. He held responsible positions in the armed forces from 1959 and has been in the central apparatus of the National Air Defense Forces since 1962.

Riazanov has been awarded three Orders of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, two Orders of the Red Star, and various medals. A bust of Riazanov has been erected in the settlement of Tokarevka, Tambov Oblast.