Iosif Apanasenko

Iosif Rodionovich Apanasenko (April 15, 1890 – August 5, 1943) was a Soviet division commander.

Iosif Rodionovich Apanasenko
Born	April 15, 1890 Russian Empire
Died	5 August 1943(1943-08-05) (aged 53) Soviet Union
Allegiance	Russian Empire Soviet Union
Service/branch	Imperial Russian Army Soviet Red Army
Years of service	1911–1917 (Russian Empire) 1918–1943 (Soviet Union)
Rank	General of the army
Commands held	6th Cavalry Division (Soviet Union) Central Asian Military District Far Eastern Front
Battles/wars	World War I Russian Civil War World War II Battle of Kursk

He fought in the Imperial Russian Army in World War I before going over to the Bolsheviks in the subsequent Civil War. He received the Cross of St. George three times from the Russian Empire. He was made a Komkor on November 11, 1935 and promoted to Komandarm 2nd rank in 1939. He commanded forces in both Central Asia and the Russian Far East. He was made a colonel general in 1940 before being promoted to general of the army in February 1941. He was Commander of the (quiet) Far Eastern Front until April 1943.

In June 1943, I.R. Apanasenko, after numerous requests to be sent to the front, was appointed deputy commander of the Voronezh Front. He visited units on the frontline and led them during the fighting. He was killed by an airstrike during the Soviet counteroffensive at Kursk. He was a recipient of the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Banner.