Nikolay Timofeyevich Antoshkin (; 19 December 1942 – 17 January 2021) was a

Mokshan Mokshan () is an urban locality (a work settlement) and the administrative center of Mokshansky District of Penza Oblast, Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of co ...

Russian Air Force The Russian Air Force () is a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the latter being formed on 1 August 2015 with the merging of the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the reb ...

colonel general Colonel general is a military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically General officer#Old European system, general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, ...

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

and politician. Born in 1942 in

Bashkortostan Bashkortostan, officially the Republic of Bashkortostan, sometimes also called Bashkiria, is a republic of Russia between the Volga river and the Ural Mountains in Eastern Europe. The republic borders Perm Krai to the north, Sverdlovsk Oblast ...

, Antoshkin was drafted into the

Soviet Army The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army. After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...

in August 1961. After graduating from military aviation school, he served with reconnaissance aviation units. He became commander of the Air Force of the

20th Guards Army The 20th Guards Combined Arms Army (originally designated as the 4th Tank Army, 4th Guards Tank Army in 1945, 4th Guards Mechanised Army in 1946, and the 20th Guards Army in 1960 within the Soviet Ground Forces) is a field army. In 1991, after th ...

in May 1980. After graduation from the Military Academy of the General Staff, Antoshkin became commander of the Air Force and deputy commander of the

Central Group of Forces The Central Group of Forces (Russian: Центральная группа войск) was a formation of the Soviet Armed Forces used to incorporate Soviet troops in Central Europe on two occasions: in Austria and Hungary from 1945 to 1955 and tr ...

. In March 1985, he became chief of staff of the Air Forces of the Kyiv Military District. In this role, he supervised the initial

Chernobyl Chernobyl, officially called Chornobyl, is a partially abandoned city in Vyshhorod Raion, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine. It is located within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, to the north of Kyiv and to the southwest of Gomel in neighbouring Belarus. ...

helicopter cleanup operations. For his actions, Antoshkin was awarded the title

. He later commanded the Air Forces of the

Central Asian Military District The Red Banner Central Asian Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, which existed in 1926–1945 and 1969–1989, with its headquarters at Tashkent (1926–1945) and Almaty (1969–1989). By USSR Order No.304 of 4 ...

and

Moscow Military District The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District () is a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Originally it was a district of the Imperial Russian Army until the Russian Empire's collapse in 191 ...

. Between 1993 and 1997 Antoshkin led Russian Air Force Frontal Aviation. In 1997 he became head of Air Force combat training and retired a year later. Antoshkin was elected a deputy of the

State Duma The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly (Russia), Federal Assembly of Russia, with the upper house being the Federation Council (Russia), Federation Council. It was established by the Constitution of Russia, Constitution of t ...

in 2014. He was affiliated with

United Russia The All-Russian Political Party United Russia (, ) is the Ruling party, ruling List of political parties in Russia, political party of Russia. As the largest party in the Russian Federation, it holds 325 (or 72.22%) of the 450 seats in the St ...

Early life

Antoshkin was born on 19 December 1942 in the village of Kuzminovka in the

Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic The Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, also historically known as Soviet Bashkiria or simply Bashkiria, was an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, autonomous republic of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR. ...

. Between 1950 and 1951 he lived in the village of Kholmogorovka. In 1951, he moved to

Kumertau Kumertau (; , ''Kümertaw'') is a town in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, located from Ufa and from Sterlitamak. Population: Administrative and municipal status Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with ...

. Antoshkin graduated from tenth grade in 1960. He worked as a worker in the repair and construction workshop and physical education instructor at the Kumertau Power Plant between 1960 and 1961.

Military service

Antoshkin was drafted into the

Soviet Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, the Red Army (1918–1946) and the Soviet Army (1946–1991), were the armed forces of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republi ...

in August 1961. He was sent to the

Orenburg Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots The I. S. Polbin Orenburg Red Banner Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots (, ''OVVAKUL'') was a flight training school of the Soviet Air Force, located in the city of Orenburg. One of the oldest flight schools in the air force, the school ...

, graduating in 1965. Antoshkin was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

on 29 October 1965. He became a pilot, squadron chief of staff and flight leader in a separate reconnaissance aviation regiment in the

Belorussian Military District The Byelorussian Military District (; alternatively Belarusian; ) was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces. Originally formed just before World War I as the Minsk Military District out of the remnants of the Vilno Military District an ...

. He was promoted to senior lieutenant on 6 December 1967. Between 1969 and 1970 he was a flight commander in a separate reconnaissance aviation regiment in the

Far Eastern Military District The Far Eastern Military District () was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Pacific Fleet and part of the Siberian Military District to form the new Eastern Military District. Histo ...

. He received the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

on 30 December 1969. Antoshkin graduated from the

Gagarin Air Force Academy Gagarin Air Force Academy () is a Russian military aviation academy located in Monino, Moscow Oblast. The academy prepares high-ranking military personnel for the Russian Aerospace Forces. Among the academy alumni are around 700 Heroes of th ...

in 1973. On 29 June he was promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

. He became a squadron commander and deputy commander of a training reconnaissance aviation regiment in the

Odessa Military District The Odessa Military District (; , abbreviated ) was a military administrative division of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This district consisted of Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldavia and five Oblasts of Ukraine, Ukrainian oblasts of Odesa ...

. Between September 1975 and June 1979 Antoshkin led the 87th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment in the

Turkestan Military District The Turkestan Military District (, ''Turkestansky voyenyi okrug (TurkVO)'') was a military district of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces, with its headquarters at Tashkent. The District was first created during the 1874 R ...

. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 19 September 1975. On 22 February 1977, Antoshkin was awarded the

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * H ...

3rd class. During March 1979 the regiment conducted reconnaissance missions over Afghan territory. In June 1979 he was transferred to command the 11th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment in the

Group of Soviet Forces in Germany The Western Group of Forces (WGF), previously known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG) and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG), were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. The Group of Soviet Occupation ...

. On 27 December, Antoshkin was promoted to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. He became commander of the Air Force of the

in May 1980. After graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1983, Antoshkin was appointed commander of the Air Force of the Central Group of Forces and deputy commander of the group. In March 1985, Antoshkin became chief of staff of the Air Forces of the Kyiv Military District. On 29 April, he was promoted to ''general-mayor'' (one star). Immediately after the

Chernobyl disaster On 26 April 1986, the no. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located near Pripyat, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine), exploded. With dozens of direct casualties, it is one of only ...

, Antoshkin carried out a helicopter flyby of the plant on 26 April 1986. Antoshkin organized, led, and flew with the helicopter group tasked with dropping "tons of sand, lead, and neutron-absorbing boron" onto the crater of the reactor until 5 May, by which time the fire had been contained. For his leadership, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...

on 24 December 1986. In August 1988 he was transferred to become commander of the Air Force of the Central Asian Military District at

Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...

. In November 1989 he became commander of the Air Force of the

. He was promoted to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

on 25 April 1990. On 28 November 1991 he was awarded the

2nd class. From November 1993 to March 1997 Antoshkin led Russian Air Force Frontal aviation. He was promoted to colonel general on 10 June 1994. On 28 August 1995 he received the

Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" () is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree 442. Until the re-establishment of the Order of St. Andrew in 1998, it was the highest order of ...

4th class. In 1996 he was made an honorary citizen of Kumertau. Between November 1997 and September 1998 he was deputy commander of the Air Force for combat training and head of Air Force combat training. Antoshkin became an honorary citizen of Mordovia around this time. He retired in September 1998.

Later life

Antoshkin lived in Moscow. In 2002, he became chairman of the board of the Club of Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation and Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory's Moscow chapter. He was awarded the Russian Federation Government Award in 2012 for "significant contributions to the development of the Russian Air Force". On 19 October 2013, he was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" 3rd class. In 2014, he was elected a deputy of the State Duma for regional group N77, which includes the

Troitsky Administrative Okrug Troitsky Administrative Okrug () is one of the twelve administrative okrugs of Moscow. The okrug was founded on July 1, 2012. Territorial organisation At the time of formation it included the following settlements, which previously belonge ...

and

Novomoskovsky Administrative Okrug Novomoskovsky Administrative Okrug () is one of the twelve administrative okrugs of Moscow. The okrug was created on July 1, 2012. The administrative center of Novomoskovsky Administrative Okrug is the town of Moskovsky. Territorial orga ...

. He was a member of the State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology.

Personal life

Antoshkin married Tatiana Sergeyevna. His son Sergey was born in 1967 and his daughter Elena was born in 1975.

Death

Antoshkin died in January 2021, after being treated for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

during the

COVID-19 pandemic in Russia The COVID-19 pandemic in Russia was a part of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Russia on 31 January 2020, when two Chinese citi ...

. An official notice from the State Duma reads: "After a serious illness, our comrade, State Duma deputy, Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolay Timofeyevich Antoshkin passed away". He was buried in the

Federal Military Memorial Cemetery The Federal Military Memorial Cemetery (Russian: Федеральное военное мемориальное кладбище) is a national cemetery of Russia, located in Mytishchinsky District, Moscow Oblast, on the north-eastern outskirts ...

Mytishchi Mytishchi ( rus, Мыти́щи, p=mɨˈtʲiɕːɪ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Mytishchinsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which lies 19 km northeast of Russia's capital Moscow o ...

on 20 January.

References