Issa Pliyev

Issa Alexandrovich Pliyev (Russian: Исса Александрович Плиев) (November 12, 1903 – 2 February 1979) was a Soviet military commander, Army General (1962), Double Hero of the Soviet Union (4.16.1944 and 9.8.1945), Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1971). Member of the CPSU since 1926.

An ethnic Ossetian, Pliyev started his military career in the Soviet Army in 1922. He graduated from a cavalry school in 1926, Frunze Military Academy in 1933 and General Staff Academy in 1941. In 1936-1938, he was an advisor for the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Army. During the Great Patriotic War, Pliyev commanded a cavalry division, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Guards Corps and 5th cavalry corps between 1941 and 1944. In November of 1944, he was appointed commander of the 1st Mechanized Guards Cavalry Group on the Western, Southern, Southwestern, Steppe, 3rd Ukrainian, 1st Belorussian, 2nd Ukrainian and Transbaikal fronts. Pliyev took part in the Battle of Stalingrad, Battle of Moscow, several Soviet military operations against the Germans, including the Operation Melitopol, Bereznegovato-Snigirevskaya Offensive, Odessa Offensive, Belorussian Offensive, Budapest Offensive, Prague Offensive, and in a war against Japan (Operation August Storm).

After the war, Pliyev held several important posts in the military. In 1955-1958, he was appointed First Deputy and then in 1958 – Commander of the Northen Caucasus military district. In 1968, Pliyev became a military inspector and advisor for the General Inspectors Group of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Pliyev was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd-7th convocations.

Pliyev was awarded five Orders of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, two Orders of Suvorov (1st Class), Order of Kutuzov (1st Class), numerous medals and nine foreign orders.