Andrei Kolesnikov | |
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| Birth name | Andrei Borisovich Kolesnikov |
| Born | (1977-02-06)6 February 1977 (age 48) |
| Allegiance |  Russia |
| Branch |  Russian Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 1999– |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands | 29th Combined Arms Army |
| Battles / wars | |
Andrei Borisovich Kolesnikov (Russian:Андрей Борисович Колесников;[1] born 6 February 1977) is a Russianmajor-general who commanded the29th Combined Arms Army at the start of theRussian invasion of Ukraine. He was later the deputy commander of theRussian Armed Forces Operational Group in Syria as of 2023.[2]
Born inOktyabrskoye, Voronezh Oblast, on 6 February 1977, Kolesnikov graduated from a tank college inKazan (1999), theCombined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (2008), and theMilitary Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia (2020). In 2010, Kolesnikov was alieutenant colonel and serving as chief of staff of the4th Guards Tank Division.[1] He was promoted to the rank of major-general and appointed, in December 2021, the former[3][4] commander of the29th Combined Arms Army of theEastern Military District in theZabaykalsky Krai.[5]
Kolesnikov took part in theRussian invasion of Ukraine. According to Ukrainian officials, he was killed inMariupol on 11 March 2022.[6]NATO officials confirmed that a Russian commander from Russia's eastern military district became the second Russian general officer to be killed in the hostilities (afterAndrei Sukhovetsky), but did not specify his name.[7] However, the Ukrainian claim had not been verified by Western media and Russian sources had not confirmed his death.[8] On 14 March 2023, Kolesnikov appeared in an interview with Vladimir Soloviev on Russian television, reportedly during Soloviev's trip to Syria.[9]
As of March 2023 Kolesnikov was deputy commander of Russian forces in Syria.[2]
| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Commander of the29th Combined Arms Army 2021–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the4th Guards Tank Division 2011–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by ?? | Chief of Staff of the4th Guards Tank Division 2010–2011 | Succeeded by ?? |
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Mariupol in theRusso-Ukrainian war | |
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| War in Donbas(2014–2022) | |
| Siege of Mariupol(2022) | |
| Russian people | |
| Ukrainian people | |
| Pro-Ukrainian volunteers | |
