Sergey Kobylash | |
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| Native name | Сергей Иванович Кобылаш |
| Born | (1965-04-01)1 April 1965 (age 60) Odessa, Soviet Union |
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| Branch |
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| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Commands |
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| Battles / wars | |
Sergey Ivanovich Kobylash (Russian:Сергей Иванович Кобылаш; born 1 April 1965) is a Russian military officer who has been theCommander of the Russian Air Force and a Deputy Commander-in-Chief of theRussian Aerospace Forces since July 2024.[1] Prior to that, he was the commander ofLong-Range Aviation from 2016 to 2024 and Director of Aviation of the Air Force from 2013 to 2015.[2]
He was born inOdessa,Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and began his career as a pilot in theSoviet Air Forces. Kobylash has over 1,700 flight hours and flew combat missions in theFirst andSecond Chechen Wars and theRusso-Georgian War.[1] During the latter conflict he was shot down twice, and each time bailed out and was retrieved by helicopter. He was made aHero of the Russian Federation after the war.[2] He is a graduate of theYeysk Military Aviation Institute, theGagarin Air Force Academy, and theGeneral Staff Academy.[3]
In 2024 a warrant for the arrest of Kobylash was issued by theInternational Criminal Court for his allegedwar crimes andcrimes against humanity as part of theRussian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure (2022–present).[4]
At several times, including February 2017 and the period from July 2019 to March 2023, Kobylash has been reported as commander of theLong-Range Aviation branch of theRussian Aerospace Forces.[4][5][6]
On 22 February 2017, media reported that Kobylash had been promoted tolieutenant general byVladimir Putin for service rendered during theRussian intervention in the Syrian civil war.[6]
On 12 December 2017, Kobylash awardedTu-22M3 crews returning from deployment in Syria toShaykovka air base nearKirov, Kaluga Oblast with themedal "Participant of the military operation in Syria".[7][8]
On 5 March 2024, theInternational Criminal Court issued anarrest warrant for AdmiralViktor Sokolov and Kobylash, as part ofits Ukraine investigation, citing his allegedwar crimes andcrimes against humanity of directing attacks at civilian objects, causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects and inhumane acts during theRussian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure and electrical grid, all under theRome Statute.[4][9][10]
On 10 September 2024 the Ukrainian government accused Kobylash of ordering the attack on theOkhmatdyt Children’s Hospital inKyiv on 8 July.[11] Ukraine’sSBU security service said in a statement that “Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash held the post of long-range aviation commander for the Russian aerospace forces at the time, and after delivering this strike, was promoted and appointed commander of the Russian aerospace forces.”[12]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander ofLong-Range Aviation 2016–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the Russian Air Force 2024–present | Incumbent |
Commanders of theRussian Air Force | ||
|---|---|---|
| Commander(since 2015) |  | |
| Commander-in-Chief(until 2015) | ||
| Chief of the Main Staff and First Deputy Commander-in-Chief(until 2015) | ||
