Georgy Ivanovich Shpak (russian: Георгий Иванович Шпак) was the
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
of
Ryazan Oblast
Ryazan Oblast ( rus, Рязанская область, r=Ryazanskaya oblast, p=rʲɪˈzanskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Ryazan, which is the oblast's largest city.
Ge ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eight ...
from 2004 to 2008.
He was the
commander of
Russian Airborne Troops
The Russian Airborne Forces (russian: Воздушно-десантные войска России, ВДВ, Vozdushno-desantnye voyska Rossii, VDV) are the airborne forces branch of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in 1992 from units o ...
from 1996 to 2003.
Biography
Early life
Born September 8, 1943, in
Osipovichi,
Mogilev
Mogilev (russian: Могилёв, Mogilyov, ; yi, מאָלעוו, Molev, ) or Mahilyow ( be, Магілёў, Mahilioŭ, ) is a city in eastern Belarus, on the Dnieper River, about from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from the bo ...
region
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
to Ivan Antonovich, who worked the railroad during his lifetime, and Anna Akimovna, who worked as an
accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy.
Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certif ...
.
He enrolled and graduated from the
Minsk Railway School majoring in
locomotive engineering,
locksmithing and as an electrician for locomotives.
Military career
Shpak served as a soldier for six months in the
137th Guards Airborne Regiment in
Ryazan
Ryazan ( rus, Рязань, p=rʲɪˈzanʲ, a=ru-Ryazan.ogg) is the largest city and administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Oka River in Central Russia, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Ce ...
, then entered the
Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School
The General V.F. Margelov Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne twice Red Banner Order of Suvorov Command School (RGVVDKU) () is a military educational institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense, situated in Ryazan, about southeast of Moscow. It was ...
, from which he graduated with honors in 1966 and was appointed commander of the cadet platoon.
In 1970 he became a company commander of cadets at the school, and in 1973 he became lecturer at the department of tactics. Six months later he was appointed battalion commander in the
44th Airborne Training Division in the
Baltic area.
After graduating in 1978 from the
M. V. Frunze Military Academy
The M. V. Frunze Military Academy (russian: Военная академия имени М. В. Фрунзе), or in full the Military Order of Lenin and the October Revolution, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Academy in the name of M. V. Frunze (rus ...
. Shpak commanded the famous
350th Guards Airborne Regiment and deployed with it to Afghanistan on December 25, 1979.
He participated in combat operations in the
Republic of Afghanistan (as commander of the 350th Guards Airborne Regiment),
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
and
Chechnya.
After graduating in 1988 from the
Military Academy of the General Staff, he became the first deputy commander of a Combined Arms Army in the
Odessa Military District
The Odesa Military District (russian: Одесский военный округ, ОВО; , abbreviated ) was a military administrative division of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 1998 most of its territory was transformed into the Southern Oper ...
.
District commands
In 1989, Shpak became the commander of the
6th Army of the
Leningrad Military District
The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.
...
, and was later the chief of staff and first deputy commander of the
Turkestan Military District
The Turkestan Military District (russian: Туркестанский военный округ (ТуркВО), ''Turkestansky voyenyi okrug (TurkVO)'') was a military district of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces, with ...
. Since 1992 he was chief of staff to the first deputy commander of the
Volga Military District
The Volga Military District (PriVO) was a military district of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation that existed from 1918 to 1989 and 1992 to 2001.
The district headquarters was located at Kazan, Saratov and Kuibyshev (Samara) at different ...
. From December 4, 1996, to September 8, 2003, he was Commander of the
Russian Airborne Forces
The Russian Airborne Forces (russian: Воздушно-десантные войска России, ВДВ, Vozdushno-desantnye voyska Rossii, VDV) are the airborne forces branch of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in 1992 from units of ...
.
Retirement and political career
In September 2003, after leaving the military service, he announced his intention to engage in politics and joined the people's patriotic bloc, and later - the
Rodina party, in which he remained until October 2004. On December 7, 2003, was reelected to the
Federal Assembly of Russia
The Federal Assembly ( rus, Федера́льное Собра́ние, r=Federalnoye Sobraniye, p=fʲɪdʲɪˈralʲnəjə sɐˈbranʲɪjə) is the national legislature of the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution of the Russian ...
, where he became deputy chairman of the
Defense Committee. In March 2004, ahead of the opponent in the second round, scored 53.5% of the votes and was elected governor of the
Ryazan Oblast
Ryazan Oblast ( rus, Рязанская область, r=Ryazanskaya oblast, p=rʲɪˈzanskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Ryazan, which is the oblast's largest city.
Ge ...
, where he remained until 2008.
Citations and orders
Orders:
*
Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (russian: Орден «За заслуги перед Отечеством», ''Orden "Za zaslugi pered Otechestvom"'') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by ...
IV degree
*
Order of Military Merit
*
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...
*
– III degree
*
Order of St. Vladimir
The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (russian: орден Святого Владимира) was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptiz ...
– III degree
Medals:
*
"
Medal for Battle Merit
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
"
*
Medal "Army General Margelov" (Ministry of Defense)
Certificates:
*
Local awards:
* Order "National Glory"(Moscow)
* Order "For the revival of Russia in the 21st Century" international competition "Pilar" (Foundation" Unity leaders of the domestic production in small, medium and large businesses", Moscow)
* Medal "For faultless work " (non-profit partnership "Coordination Center of security and detective agencies", Ryazan)
* Order of the "Holy Emperor Nicholas II" 2nd degree (League revive the traditions of the Russian monarchy, Moscow)
* Order of the Holy Prince Peter and Fevronia degree I (Regional Public Organization in strengthening marriage and family "People's Club" Family") "for military feat in saving lives and families"
Honorary titles:
* Honorary citizen of
Osipovichi
* Distinguished graduate
Samara State Aerospace University
Samara National Research University () is a Russian engineering and technical institution. It is located in the City of Samara. In 2022, it was ranked #581 in the world by QS World University Rankings, #1,201 in the world by World University ...
(KuAI-SGAU)
Personal life
Family
He is married to his wife, Alla, with whom he has a son, Guards Lieutenant Oleg, who was killed in 1995, in the
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the First Chechen Campaign,, rmed conflict in the Chechen Republic and on bordering territories of the Russian FederationФедеральный закон № 5-ФЗ от 12 января 1995 (в редакц ...
and daughter, Yelena, who achieved the rank of colonel of medical service (
N.N. Burdenko Military Hospital). He has three grandchildren, Oleg, Anna and Alexander.
Other
In December 2011, he published a biographical book ''General Georgy Shpak'', written by a friend and colleague, Boris Kostin.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shpak, Georgy
Spak, Hieorhij
People of the Chechen wars
Personnel of the Soviet Airborne Forces
Living people
Governors of Ryazan Oblast
Russian colonel generals
Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Russia)
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner
1943 births
20th-century Russian politicians
21st-century Russian politicians
Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command School alumni
Frunze Military Academy alumni
Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union alumni
Fourth convocation members of the State Duma (Russian Federation)