Mikhail Teplinsky | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Native name | Михаил Юрьевич Теплинский (Russian) |
| Birth name | Mikhail Yuryevich Teplinsky Mykhailo Yuriiovych Teplynskyi |
| Born | (1969-01-09)9 January 1969 (age 57) |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union Russia |
| Branch |  Russian Airborne Forces |
| Service years | 1991–present |
| Rank | Colonel general |
| Commands | Russian Airborne Forces |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards |  (1995) |
Mikhail Yuryevich Teplinsky (Russian:Михаил Юрьевич Теплинский;Ukrainian:Михайло Юрійович Теплинський,romanized: Mykhailo Yuriiovych Teplynskyi; born 9 January 1969) is a Russiancolonel general born inSoviet Ukraine who has served ascommander of theRussian Airborne Forces since June 2022. He was awarded the titleHero of the Russian Federation in 1995.
Mikhail Teplinsky was born inMospyne, in what was then theUkrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, in theSoviet Union, on 9 January 1969. In 1987 he entered and in 1991 graduated from theRyazan Higher Airborne Command School. He served in the106th Guards Airborne Division stationed inTula. He commanded an airborne reconnaissance platoon and a reconnaissance company of the137th Guards Airborne Regiment. From 1992 to 1993, he took part in theTransnistria War. From December 1994 to March 1995 he participated in theFirst Chechen War. He distinguished himself in battles while crossing theSunzha River. During the period of hostilities, senior lieutenant Teplinsky had about 30 destroyed militants on his personal combat account. For courage and heroism shown during the performance of a special task, by decree of the President of Russia of 1 March 1995, Senior Lieutenant Teplinsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.[4] While still in Chechnya, he received a promotion in rank and position: he became the captain and head of intelligence of the parachute regiment.[4]
In 1999, Teplinsky graduated from theCombined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of Russia.[4] He took command of a paratrooper battalion that year, and went on to fight in theSecond Chechen War. Transferred to the76th Guards Airborne Division inPskov, he was chief of staff and commander of the234th Guards Airborne Regiment of the Black Sea. He became a Guard Colonel in 2002. In October 2002, he was appointed deputy commander of the 76th Guards Airborne Division, and since 2003 he was its chief of staff.[4]
In 2007, Teplinsky graduated from theMilitary Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia. In June 2007, he was appointed head of the 212th Guards District Training Center Vienna named after the Hero of the Soviet Union,Lieutenant General I. N. Russiyanov (Siberian Military District,Chita Oblast). Since June 2009, he was the Chief of Staff - 1st Deputy Commander of the20th Guards Combined Arms Army of theWestern Military District inMulino,Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Teplinsky was promoted to Guards Major General in 2012.[4]
On 19 February 2013, Teplinsky became the Commanding General of the36th Combined Arms Army of theEastern Military District, and became a lieutenant general on 13 December 2014. In May 2015, he was appointed chief of staff of the territorial troops in theSouthern Military District.[4]
According to theMain Directorate of Intelligence of theMinistry of Defence of Ukraine, Teplinksy provided support to the armed forces of the self-proclaimedDonetsk andLuhansk People's Republic.[1][2]
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On 14 March 2017, by decree of the President of Russia, Teplinsky was appointed Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of theSouthern Military District.[5] On 5 April 2019, Teplinsky was appointed Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commanding General of theCentral Military District.[4] By Decree of the President of Russia dated in December 2021, Teplinsky was promoted to Colonel General.[5]
In June 2022, Teplinsky was appointed commanding general of theRussian Airborne Forces.[6] In January 2023, according toThe Moscow Times, and to British Intelligence, Teplinsky was dismissed as the commanding general of the Russian Airborne Forces.[7][8]
Since 13 December 2022, Teplinsky has been under British sanctions.[9]
In April 2023 Kremlin Press SecretaryDmitry Peskov confirmed that Teplinsky remains commander of the airborne troops, and serves as a deputy commander of the Joint Grouping of Forces (the Russian troops in Ukraine).[10] In April 2023, the British government department believed his "turbulent career", including his return to a major role in Ukraine, was indicative of tensions arising within theRussian General Staff.[11] Indeed, whileValery Gerasimov formally retained his title ofChief of the General Staff in Ukraine in the aftermath of theWagner Group rebellion, his public disappearance[citation needed] started rumours about Teplinsky taking over and actually running the war.[12]
In October 2023 Teplinsky was promoted to commander of the Dnepr Battlegroup. He replaced Colonel-GeneralOleg Makarevich.[13] By the end of 2023, he had presided over a wartime expansion of the Airborne Forces, creating one new division (the44th Air Assault), reforming the31st Guards Brigade into the104th Guards Division, adding a third airborne regiment to the98th Guards and106th Guards divisions, and creating the52nd Artillery Brigade as a general artillery support brigade. Under Teplinsky, the service grew from ten maneuver regiments and three separate brigades to fifteen maneuver regiments, two separate brigades, and one artillery brigade.[14]
On 12 March 2024 theAFU claimed to have liquidated Teplinsky in an airstrike on the oil tankerMechanic Pogodin.[13]
On 30 June 2024, reports in the press abounded that he was severely wounded by a Ukrainian missile strike inHenichesk.[15] However, on 2 August 2024, a video of Teplinsky congratulating his troops onParatroopers' Day and speaking about recent events on the front was published.[16]
Teplinsky is married, with two sons and a daughter.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of the Russian Airborne Forces 2022–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of theCentral Military District 2019–2022 | Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by | Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of theSouthern Military District 2017–2019 | Succeeded by |
Leadership of theRussian Airborne Forces | ||
|---|---|---|
| Commander |  | |
| Chiefs of Staff and First Deputy Commander(since 1998) | ||
| First Deputy Commander(until 1997) | ||
| Chief of Staff(until 1998) | ||
| Deputy Commander | ||