Konstantin Akashev
Encyclopedia
Konstantin Akashev was a Belorussian revolutionary and aviator who became the first leader of the Soviet 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...

.

Following his participation in a failed attempt to assassinate Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Stolipin, Akashev went into exile from Russia in 1908, spending time in Italy and France. He completed training as a pilot at the Caproni School of Aviation, Italy in 1911. He moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 where he gained an engineering diploma from the Higher Institute of Aviation and Mechanics in 1914, and attended the Military Aviation School in 1915[2].

Akashev volunteered to serve in the French air forces when the First World War broke out, but in 1915 he returned to Russia. He worked in an aircraft factory as his past activities as a revolutionary prevented him being posted to active duty. In 1917, he participated in the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...

 in Petrograd and became Commissar of the All-Russia Collegium for Direction of the Air Forces of the Old Army, when it was founded on December 20, 1917. When the soviet airforce was re-organised into the"Main Directorate of the Workers and Peasants Red Air Fleet (Glavvozdukhoflot)" in May-June, 1918 Akashev was retained as Commissar, becoming the military commander in July of that year. He fought at the front during the Russian 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...

 commanding the Air Flotilla of the Eastern Front's 5th Army at Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...

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During June-December, 1919, Akashev was Chief of Aviation and Aeronautics for the Southern Front. During August-September, 1919, he commanded an air group formed to combat the cavalry of General Mamontov that was fighting in the Soviet rear areas. He personally flew the Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets is a Kievan Rus' epic hero. He is celebrated in numerous byliny . Along with Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich he is regarded as the greatest of all the legendary bogatyrs...

, bombing the enemy cavalry.

From March, 1920-February, 1921, Akashev again served primarily as the commander of the Soviet air forces[2].

In 1922 Akashev attended the international aviation conferences in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, and gave expert advice on aviation for the Genoa Conference
Genoa Conference
The Genoa Conference was held in Genoa, Italy in 1922 from 10 April to 19 May. At this conference, the representatives of 34 countries convened to speak about monetary economics in the wake of World War I...

.

Akashev later served in management roles at aviation factories in Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...

 and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

. He was accused of spying and arrested without grounds on March 3, 1930. He was executed on September 4, 1931.
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